Life with Organization XIII
by BansheeFromHell
Summary: My name is Saru. After an unusual turn of events, I now live with Organization XIII. Easy? Not even close... Axel/OC
1. Alone with Them

**Banshee: Hello, this is my first fanfic, so please be nice.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I only own the plot. So no sue.**

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Chapter One: Alone with Them

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"_You _cannot_ be serious!" _

_I had to cover my ears to shield them from Axel's exasperated outburst. It turns out that the oh-so-wonderful Superior decided to take the rest of the members on a "special mission" while I had to baby-sit the biggest pains in the ass in the entire plane of existence, Axel and Saïx. Don't get me wrong, they're fine on their own but when they're together you'd be lucky if they didn't try to kill each other. _

_"Is there a problem, VIII?" Xemnas inquired with a stern voice, making the pyro pause before he could say anything else. _

_"No? Good. Saru, I expect the castle to be taken care of while we are away. Can I trust you with this meager task?" _

_Straightening my posture, I gave Xemnas a salute and droned like an army cadet, "Yes sir!" _

_Xemnas rolled his eyes before summoning a dark portal, with each member filing into it like a group of marines. _

_"__Good. We will be back in a week." _

_Roxas walked up to me, concern written all over his face. _

_"Saru? Are you sure you can handle these two all by yourself?" _

_Patting his shoulder reassuringly, I gave a curt chuckle. "Don't worry Roxie, I can handle these boneheads." _

_Roxas gave a nod and a smile before he too stepped into the portal and it disappeared, leaving me alone with _them._ The tension alone between them was thick enough to cut with a knife. Neither of them said anything, save for the icy death glares they shot at each other which made me feel like one of those frozen meats in the freezer aisle. I wouldn't be surprised if there was snow gathering on my shoulders. _

_But I knew I had to say something soon, because if I didn't the fur was gonna fly. "So…" I began, getting their attention. Whipping out a deck of cards out of nowhere, I fanned them out - careful not to drop any - and asked in a hopeful tone, "Anyone wanna play Old Maid?"_

_..._

That was a few hours ago, and so far it was _far_ from peaceful. I was sitting by myself in Roxas' room, attempting to play Solitaire, but, seeing as how I didn't have any clue how to play, I ended up just tossing cards into one of Roxas' discarded baseball caps.

A ringing from my pocket jarred me out of my zombie-like state to take out my cell phone and look at the caller ID. A blue sitar appeared on the screen and I sighed.

"Demyx…"

Each member of the Organization had a cell phone with their weapon as their caller ID; Demyx had his sitar, Roxas had his keyblades, etc.

Flipping said phone open, I growled into the phone, "What?"

A sheepish voice answered me on the other end of the line, but it wasn't Demyx.

"Uh… Saru, it's me, Roxas."

I gaped at the phone, not really knowing what to say, except "Why are you using Demyx's phone? What happened to yours?"

"Well, my phone's battery died before we could make it to the hotel…"

"Hotel?" I asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow even though I knew he couldn't see it.

There was a silence on the other end before he finally responded. "Xemnas said that we'd be there a while, so…"

"Say no more, Roxas, I think I know what ol' Mansex is up to."

_"Yeah, he took the rest of the members on a vacation, but he left Axel and Saïx here to make my life miserable even though he's not there. I am _definitely_ gonna get him for this…"_

"Saru? You okay?"

I shook myself out of my thoughts, since I knew Roxas would get worried and warp over.

"Yeah Roxie, I just need some time to plot my revenge…" I mumbled grouchily.

"… What?"

"Oh, nothing!" I exclaimed quickly, laughing like a psychopath.

Before he could answer I flipped the phone shut knowing that Roxas would demand an explanation for that action as soon as possible.

"He is so gonna kill me for that…"

A huge rumble shook the castle which resulted in a groan from me.

"Damn it, are they fighting _again_!"

Placing my phone back in my pocket, I stomped out of the room to find Axel and Saïx. Sure enough there they were, weapons drawn and looking absolutely pissed.

"Surely you two have heard the phrase 'if you can't get along, stay _away_ from each other?' You're doing the complete opposite, you know."

My remark was ignored, making steam come out of my ears out of irritation. I walked up to Axel, knowing he probably started it, and grabbed hold of his ear.

"Ow! Ow! Hey! Not the ear! Not the ear!"

"Let's go, mister!"

"But Saïx started it!"

"I don't care who started it, I'm _finishing_ it! Go to your room, now!"

I could sense the utter humiliation that Axel felt being dragged away from Saïx by his ear. What was worse was being told to go to his room, like he was some sort of child. It wasn't my fault he was acting like one… Suddenly I felt like I was being forced to baby-sit them to keep 'em out of trouble. Hell, if I didn't, they'd probably destroy the castle.

Dragging Axel down the numerous hallways, we made our way to the chamber that contained the rooms of the Organization members. The rooms were arranged by number, so that meant that Axel and Saïx's rooms were probably right next to each other. Pushing his door open, I shoved Axel into the room shutting the door in his face when he tried to run back out.

"Come on, this isn't fair! I didn't even start it!"

"I don't care, stay in your room!"

_"__Now to get Saïx…"_

But I knew that ol' Berserker Boy wouldn't take kindly to me grabbing his ear… or being sent to his room by a puny human teenage girl. But… then again… Saïx usually behaved himself unless he was alone with Axel and the Superior wasn't around. A finger poked me in the shoulder and I whirled around to face said pyro.

"What did I just get through telling you!"

"Silly girl. You forget that I can teleport."

"I hate you…"

"Love you too, sweetie."

The glare I gave him was enough to turn him into a pile of smoldering Nobody ashes.

"Call me that again, and a heart won't be the _only_ thing you'll be missing. Now go to your room! And this time, stay in there for the full hour!"

Axel stared at me blankly before cocking his head to the side.

"Do I have to?" He begged, attempting to weaken my resolve with the puppy eyes.

"Yes! Now _MOVE IT_!"

Grasping his ear in a remotely unpleasant way, ignoring his groan of pain, I dragged him back to his room. Shoving him back inside I was about to slam the door and walk away, when Axel stopped the door with his foot and grasped my shoulder. "And how do you know I'll stay in my room this time?"

"You're approximately eighteen-years-old, aren't you?"

"Around there, yeah."

"Then I'm sure you can look after yourself."

He jerked me back as I attempted to walk away and tried to pull off a sad face in an attempt to make me feel sorry for him.

"Nice try Axel. It's not going to work, so don't even try."

Prying his hand off my shoulder, I stormed off to find the Berserker. Sure enough, I found him, and - as I said before - he wasn't pleased to know he was being sent to his room. It took a few words, and a high dose of knock-out gas, but I managed to haul him to his room. In that hour and a half I realized that Saïx was heavier than he looked.

Leaning against the wall, I let myself slide down to the floor due to pure exhaustion.

"I knew you'd be back."

Looking up I saw Axel standing in the doorway to his room, leaning against the doorframe with a tell-tale smirk on his face.

"You look tired."

"No shit, Sherlock. What ever gave you that idea?" I shot back, with sarcasm dripping from every word.

"_You_ try hitting Saïx with knock-out gas and dragging him all the way here."

"You hit him with knock-out gas?"

"Yes… why?" I asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow at him.

He put a hand to his chin and gave a nasty smirk.

"I should totally draw on his face.."

"No you're not, you're staying in that room. Now get in there!" I yelled irritably, shoving him back in his room and slamming the door with fervor. Then it hit me that he could teleport, so I opened the door and walked back in. Heat around in the seventies washed over me, and I pulled on my shirt collar uncomfortably. I found him laying on his bed with a bored expression on his face.

"Jesus, Axel, do you have to have it so hot in here?"

He swung his legs over the bed and sat up in a fluid motion, giving me another smirk that would have been sexy, if I hadn't already known how his mind worked.

"Heat don't bother me sweetheart, because I'm as hot as they come."

"I told you not to call me that.."

...

...

**Banshee: I hope you liked it.**


	2. Oh Crap

**Banshee: Here's chapter 2!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OC and the plot.**

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Chapter Two: Oh Crap

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"Of all people, why did he have to leave me with Berserker Boy? Xemnas knows we hate each other's guts… if we _could_ hate, I mean."

I lay on Axel's bed, tossing his flame-colored hacky-sack up and down, pretending to listen. "I'm beginning to think ol' Mansex is just out to make us all miserable by sticking us with someone we hate."

Suddenly Axel looked at me with an expression of mock-hurt on his face.

"I was talking about you and Saïx." I mumbled grouchily, watching his frown turn into a triumphant smirk.

And during the time I spent with the Organization, I learned something very important:

Whenever Axel smiled like that, it always meant trouble… mostly for me.

Before I had a chance to comprehend what Axel was planning, my phone was going off again. Thanking the great holy body above, I grabbed the phone and flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"Hey Saru."

It was Roxas.

"What happened earlier?"

I laughed nervously.

"Whatever do you mean Roxas?"

I could almost see his accusing glare through the phone.

"You hung up on me."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did."

"Why would I hang up on you, of all people?"

"Well, you did. And I demand that you tell me why."

"…"

"Saru… Don't make me come over there!"

"…"

"Saru, don't you dare-!"

I once again flipped the phone shut, ignoring Axel's puzzled expression. We sat there in silence for a good few minutes, before the pyro decided to break the silence.

"Was that Roxas?"

"… Yup."

"And you hung up on him?"

"… Yup."

"You? Hanging up on _Roxas_?"

Axel put a hand to my forehead as if to check my temperature.

"You feelin' all right?"

"I'm fine, Axel." I mumbled irritably shoving his hand away.

A dark portal appeared in the middle of the room and a not-too-happy Roxas came trudging out, the look on his face alone was enough to make a grown man cry. The only thought that came to my mind was _"Oh crap…"_ I was in trouble. Clutching his still-open cell phone tightly in his hand, Roxas stomped over to the bed, making me hide behind Axel due to the severe-ness of the small Nobody's aura.

"I think you're in trouble." Axel whispered so Roxas wouldn't hear.

"Oh, you _think_?" I retorted none-too-quietly.

"When you did it the first time, I didn't mind that much. But twice is _really_ crossing the line!"

Roxas could have broken his phone clean in half by how tight his fists were clenched.

"Easy Rox…" Axel's voice cracked as Roxas' head snapped in his direction making him jump. He ignored him all the same.

"For the last time… WHY DID YOU HANG UP ON ME!" He practically screamed into my face.

The problem was, I really didn't know why I _did_ hang up on him.

"I… don't know…"

Roxas immediately calmed down as he gained that, what I call, adorably-confused face that only he and Sora could pull off.

I couldn't stop myself…

"KAWAII!"

Squealing like a newborn, I grasped Roxas in a bear-hug gaining a 'WTF!' look from both Roxas and Axel.

"So cute! So cute! So CUTE!"

Squeaking those two words over and over, I nuzzled my face into the Nobody's messy sandy-brown hair. A loud, feral shout erupted from the other side of the wall and I sighed, letting go of the poor boy that I nearly squeezed the life out of.

"Looks like Saïx is up."

Axel snapped his fingers in a 'Damn it!' gesture, as his chance to draw on the Berserker's face was lost.

"I hope he doesn't realize-"

"SA-RUUUUUU!" I cringed at the force of Saï x's scream. "Saru! I demand to know why I am tied to the bed!"

I could clearly hear Axel's barely-suppressed snickers.

"Don't tell me you _really_ tied Saïx to the bed, Saru…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Saru?"

"Um… okay, I won't tell you."

"You didn't…"

I nodded.

Roxas' eyes gaped.

Axel broke into hysterical laughter.

"You _seriously_ tied Berserker Boy to his bed? I thought the knock-out gas was good! Oh man, this is too rich! Ha ha ha!"

"You do realize he's going to kill you as soon as he gets out of there, right?" Roxas asked, as we ignored Axel.

"… Yup."

"And you also remembered that he can summon portals too, right?"

I froze instantly; I hadn't thought of that...

_"Oh Crap..."_

_..._

_..._


	3. We're Even

**Banshee: Here's chapter 3! Wow, I'm on a roll, today! -**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own the plot.**

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Chapter Three: We're Even

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Needless to say, Saïx _really_ wasn't happy. And getting him all pissed off is the last thing you'd wanna do. Trust me, I know; I have previous scars to prove it. Believe it or not, he has pretty sharp nails - er… claws under those Organization uniform gloves.

Now that Roxas was there, things would be a little easier for me. At least Axel wouldn't try to trick him, hell, they're best friends. That meant I had more time to deal with Saïx who was twice as difficult as any of the other members. Sometimes I wished I was left alone with Demyx. He may be annoying, but hey, he's too nice and cuddly to stay mad at. But he does get on my nerves… Okay, on with the story.

"So, what're they doing over there for that 'special mission,' Rox?"

Roxas put a finger to his chin and tapped on it a few times, and then looked at Axel and me with a serious look on his face.

"…"

"…"

Axel and I leaned closer to hear what he would say.

"…"

"…"

"… I don't know…"

The two of us fell over off of the bed we were previously sitting on, landing on the floor with a harsh unified 'thud.'

"Whaddya mean you don't know!"

The only answer we got was a sheepish smile.

Suddenly… _it_ happened… the scourge of womanhood… The cramps suddenly hit me, as I tried my best not to wail in pain.

"What's the matter Saru?"

My mouth managed to crack into a smile, which was clearly making Axel and Roxas nervous. "Nothing, I just need to go to the bathroom, that's all…"

Before they could say anything more, I disappeared in a flash to find said bathroom. Roxas and Axel stood beside each other for a couple of minutes before Axel turned to Roxas. "Women are confusing…"

Roxas nodded in agreement. Saïx, who was standing in the room with us, suddenly cracked a smirk of his own as he saw his revenge come within his grasp. Taking his own phone out of his pocket, he dialed a number and waited for someone to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Yes, is this Demyx?"

"Uh… yeah. Is that you Saïx?"

"Of course, who do you think? Anyhow, I have bad news."

Demyx's voice took on a nervous air.

"What? What's wrong?"

"It's Saru. She's not feeling well."

"That's horrible!"

"I know… But she said she doesn't want anyone fussing over her… So I just called to make sure that whatever you do, do _not_ sneak over here and make sure that she is okay."

"… O.. kay…"

"Goodbye, Demyx."

Flipping the phone shut, his smirk grew wider. "Revenge is so very sweet…" He mused to himself, before picking up a book and sitting down.

Meanwhile, I was in the kitchen, trying to get my bearings back. And any girl who went through this would know what it feels like. The cramps, the bleeding, the dizziness… ugh… I was too busy swallowing the two pills to notice the face that had begun peering over the countertop.

"I need something sweet… Ice cream…" I muttered, trudging over to the fridge. "Ice cream, ice cream, ice cream…"

Rummaging through the freezer, I suddenly felt a box of popsicles being shoved into my hand, but thought nothing of it since my period always put my mind in a haze.

"Cherry… no… Grape… no… Orange… whatever…"

Popping the popsicle into my mouth, I turned around with a surprised - and somewhat scared - Demyx. He smiled nervously and attempted a friendly wave.

"Uh… hey Saru…"

"DE-MYYYYYXX!"

"Aren't you supposed to be on the 'secret mission' with everybody else? What are you doing here?

Demyx twiddled with his fingers for a few minutes, before he finally came up with an answer. "I… I can't tell you…" I raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"'Cuz I told him I wouldn't tell…"

"Who? Xemnas?"

"No, Saïx… Augh!"

Demyx gave himself a face-palm as Roxas, Axel and I looked warily over at Saï x who was reading a book with an oh-so-pleasant look on his face. Pleasant to him, that is… to everyone else, it looked scary. He put down his book to look at us, that smirk never leaving his face.

"That was for hitting me with knock-out gas and tying me to the bed. Consider us even."

Roxas looked at Axel confusedly.

"Knock-out gas? Tying people to beds?"

"It's a long story…" Axel replied.

"And getting longer…" Roxas groaned, finishing Axel's previous statement. This was gonna be a loooong week…

...

...

**Banshee: I got that idea where Saix calls Demyx from an episode of _"Reba: The Blonde leading the Blind"_ That sounded perfect, and it adds to the whackiness. I don't own Reba either.**


	4. Girls are Scary

**Banshee: Here's chapter 4**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I only own my OC and the plot. So no sue.**

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Chapter Four: Girls are Scary

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"Saru, why are you acting so weird today?" I groaned; that was the fifteenth time they've asked me that. "Do you have any idea what happens to a girl every month?" Axel, Demyx and Roxas exchanged confused looks with each other before looking back at me.

"No…"

"What about Larxene? She's the only female member of the Organization, surely you know about periods."

"The ones that end sentences?"

"No, Demyx… _not_ the ones that end sentences…"

I didn't really know what to say at this point… "Maybe it's best if you never know…"

"Aw, but Saru-"

"Ah b-bup! I don't wanna hear anymore about it!"

It has only been a day, and I was already annoyed. And I don't get annoyed very easily, depending on the person and situation. And today, it seemed that time was passing slowly just to irritate me. It was summer; meaning I was supposed to be relaxing and having fun - _not_ babysitting a bunch of Nobodies. _Boy_ Nobodies, to make things worse. And what made things even worse: of all the things they had in this castle, they didn't have chocolate.

"I need chocolate…"

"Saru, where are you going?"

I froze in mid-step after a - failed - attempt to sneak out without being noticed.

"Um… nowhere?"

They all looked at me with their 'I-don't-believe-that-for-one-second' looks. Knowing they caught me, I groaned in defeat. "I wanted to go to the store to get some chocolate…"

"Oh… You mean like this?" Axel took a chocolate bar out of his pocket.

My mouth watered just looking at it. Damn chocolate cravings… "Give it!" I reached for said bar, but Axel held it above his head and out of my reach. "You'll have to work for this one, sweetie."

"I told you not to call me that!"

"Just give her the chocolate bar, Axel…" Roxas tried to reason with Axel, but the pyro insisted on torturing me. "C'mon, give it!" I jumped up and down, but it didn't help. "You want it?" I nodded. "You'll have to kiss me for it."

"…"

… Tick…

… Tick…

… Tick…

"Three… Two… One…" Roxas droned, as he saw Axel's feeble existence come to an end.

"NOT EVEN IN YOUR DREAMS, YOU PERVERT!"

A loud slap echoed through the halls as everyone - save me and Saïx (who was watching with amusement) - watched the scene with gaping mouths and eyes as big as saucers. Snatching the chocolate from Axel, who now had a huge red handprint on his face, and took off the wrapper. To my horror, it was chocolate… with _nuts_. "This chocolate has nuts in it!"

"… So?"

"'So!' '_So!_' Whaddya mean '_so_!' I can't have nuts in my chocolate!"

"… Why?"

"Because… I _don't like_ nuts in my chocolate…!"

"Can't you just take the nuts out?" I stared at Roxas like he was insane. "Are you _mad_, man! You can't just take the nuts out! It won't… work! I require nut-free chocolate! Nut-free, I tell you!" Axel, Roxas, and Demyx exchanged strange looks with each other once again, not knowing what I was talking about.

"I demand that you get me nut-free chocolate!"

"Uh… Saru-"

"GET ME MY CHOCOLATE, OR I'LL RUN YOU ALL THROUGH AN F-ING WOODCHIPPER AND SPREAD YOUR REMAINS ON MY FLOWERBED! NOW MOVE IT!"

Scrambling like frightened chickens, the three Nobodies trampled over each other to get the desired food item. "That chocolate had better be Hershey's! And get me some Midol while you're at it!" I screamed after them, as they all scuttled into a portal. Uncovering his ears, Saïx reopened his book and continued to read, but first he checked his stopwatch. "3.4 seconds… that's a new record."

At the supermarket, Axel, Roxas, and Demyx were looking for the item that I had so "politely" asked them to get me. Demyx looked at the boxes of Midol like it was the strangest thing he has ever seen. He picked up one of the boxes and began reading its description out loud.

"Midol, teen formula. Maximum strength. For the temporary relief of these symptoms associated with menstrual periods: cramps, bloating, water-weight gain, headache, backache, and muscle aches. Keep out of reach of children."

"Do you have to read the labels of every box you see?"

"I'm just makin' sure… Did Saru say what kind of Midol to get her?"

"Why?"

"There's a bunch of different kinds.."

"Get the purple one."

"Sheesh… getting the chocolate was easier…"

Picking up the purple box, Demyx looked the box over a few times to make sure it was the right one. "I learned a very important lesson about girls today." "So did we." Roxas said, adding to Demyx's statement. They all said in unison:

"Girls are scary…"

...

...

**Banshee: I no own Midol either.**


	5. Enter Sora, the Keyblade Master

**Banshee: Hello readers! Here's chapter five!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I only own th plot. So no sue.**

* * *

Chapter Five: Enter Sora, the Keyblade Master

* * *

It had finally gotten quiet. Saïx was reading a book, Roxas, Demyx, and Axel were amusing themselves with video games, and I had my chocolate and I was content. But I felt like there was something missing… I picked up the cell-phone and dialed a number. A picture of a Keyblade appeared, next to the name 'Sora.'

"Hello? Is this Sora? Yes, it's me, Saru. Are you doing anything right now? 'Cuz everyone would love it if you could come over. Who? Xemnas? Don't worry about him. He's on a 'special mission' with the majority of the Organization. Don't worry, Riku and Kairi will be fine without you. No, this isn't an evil plot… Cross my heart. So you're coming then? Great! See you in a few minutes."

"Saru, who were you talking to?"

I screamed and jumped a few feet in the air.

"Roxas! Don't _scare_ me like that!"

"Sorry…"

"I was talking to nobody, okay?"

Suddenly Axel popped up behind me and I let out a high-pitched screech. "Who is this 'Nobody' you speak of? I'll bet they're not as interesting and incredibly hot and sexy as I am." I rolled my eyes. "It was Sora."

"What're you talking to Sora for?"

"I asked him to come over."

Suddenly, three sets of gaping wide eyes found themselves in front of me.

"You invited Sora, the Keyblade Master! The enemy of the Organization! _Here_!"

"You _do_ realize that Saïx will never allow this?"

I put a finger to my chin so I could think. Roxas had a point. Saïx wouldn't even let me have a squirt gun fight in the castle, let alone have someone like Sora over. But before I could get a chance to come up with a plan, I heard a tapping noise coming from one of the windows. Running over to said window, I opened it to find a smiling Sora.

"Oh, Sora, so nice to know you could make it!" I said quickly, smiling nervously as Sora climbed into the room, stretching his arms.

"Sorry I took so long, I had to fight a bunch of Heart-" He didn't have time to finish as Roxas, Demyx, Axel and I tackled him to the floor, covering his mouth in the process.

"Shhh!"

"If Saïx finds out you're here, we'll all be in a crap-load of trouble!"

We all let go of Sora, and he began to scratch his head in confusion. We certainly couldn't let the Superior's Pet find out he was here; that would end in total chaos.

"So, what do we do now?"

They all looked at me.

"What're you looking at me for?"

"Because, _you're_ the one that invited him here in the first place!"

"We could dress him up as a Heartless.."

As soon as he said this, I smacked Demyx in the back of the head with my fist. "That's just as bad!" Roxas shrugged his shoulders, as he had no plan up his sleeve either. We stood there in silence, each of us putting on our 'heavy-concentration' faces.

"The only thing we can do is make sure Saïx doesn't see him."

"It's worth a try."

"Let's take him to Roxas' room." Grabbing both of Sora's arms, Roxas and I barreled down the hallway with Axel and Demyx pushing him from behind. Upon reaching said room, we shoved Sora inside and slammed the door shut. Sitting down on the bed, we all thought of something to do.

"So what we gonna do?"

"I know!"

…

…

"I don't know about this, Saru…" Roxas replied warily as I pushed Demyx onto one of the Organization's rolling office chairs.

"Don't worry Roxie, I know what I'm doing. Besides, this'll be fun."

Getting behind the chair, I gripped the back and prepared to push.

"Ready Demyx?"

"No!" He whined, squealing like a frightened child as I grinned evilly and gave the chair a hard shove. Demyx was sent flying across the hallway as he screamed his girlish scream. As he ran out of hallway he crashed into the wall, slouching to the floor.

"Me next! Me next!" Axel insisted, grabbing another chair.

One by one, we were launched down the hallway crashing into the walls. We did this so many times, it was a wonder that the walls didn't have holes in them. Apparently we were heard, because we heard footsteps stomping towards our position.

"Oh crap! It's Saïx! Hide, Sora!"

Shoving the brunette into a random room, Axel, Roxas, Demyx and I put on innocent faces as Saïx came into view, a not-so-pleased look on his face. "What in the name of Kingdom Hearts are you nitwits doing?"

Pushing Demyx onto another chair, I got behind him ready to push.

"What does it look like we're doing?"

He raised an eyebrow at us. "Something stupid?"

I stuck my tongue out at him and he rolled his eyes. "Anyhow, keep it down. We don't want to attract any unwanted attention."

With that, he turned on his heel and walked away. The four of us breathed a huge sigh of relief when he was out of sight. As soon as we were certain he was gone, Roxas went into the room and dragged Sora back out.

"That was a close one. We need to be more careful, or Berserker Boy will find him."

For the first time in a while, I actually agreed with Axel.

"I got it! Let's go to Roxas' room and play video games."

"All in favor of playing video games, say aye!"

A chorus of 'aye's' answered me and I grinned. I knew just how to get to a boy's good side. Filing into said room, I tried diving for one of the controllers, but Demyx and Axel got to them first. But there were only two, so Roxas, Sora, and I had to wait our turn. Out of all the games the Nobody had in his possession, the firebug and water manipulator chose _'Street Fighter.'_ Each pair went five rounds at a time, then we would switch and alternate on who played against who. Setting up our own little tournament, we decided who would go with who.

Roxas beat Demyx, who sat and pouted for the rest of the day.

Then Roxas lost to Sora.

Sora lost to Axel, then Axel lost to me.

Jumping up and down I whooped in a victorious fashion, as all the boys pouted at having lost to a girl. "Don't worry guys, you're all getting better. You'll probably win, if you… play again…"

"No thanks."

"I'm good."

"Nu-uh, I had enough."

"No way."

"Aw, you guys are no fun…"

...

...


	6. Busted

**Banshee: I'm glad people like the story. Here's chapter 6!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I only own my OC and the plot. So no sue.**

* * *

Chapter Six: Busted

* * *

All of us lay somewhere in Roxas' room as bored as anyone could be. We had already played every game that Roxas had, and we had resorted to laying around until we thought of something to do. During the entire day, we had watched every movie the Organization possessed, listened to all of Demyx's CDs, and there was nothing good on TV after midnight. On top of that, we ate three boxes of pizza and were too stuffed to even move. If we did move, it would hurt since our stomachs were full to bursting. It wasn't our fault the pizza was so damn good. The room would have been pitch black, had it not been for the light that Roxas keeps in his room. Apparently, Castle Oblivion didn't have windows. And it didn't help that the World That Never Was was a world of perpetual darkness. Normally I'm fine with darkness, but I'd actually like to _see_ where I'm going when I get up and walk around. Last time I got up, before the light was turned on, I stubbed my toe on the dresser and stepped on some jacks. After a few stubbed toes and screams of "Turn that God-damned light on," I switched it on myself. There was no way I was going through that all night.

"So what we gonna do?"

"Don't start that again Demyx! You asked that fifty times already!"

"I was just askin'… So what we gonna do?"

"If you ask that question one more time…"

"Fine, sheesh.. So what we gonna do?"

"That's it!"

Axel was about to grab Demyx by the throat when I hit them both on the head with my fists, then grabbed them by their ears.

"Enough you guys! Don't make me open up a can of whoop-ass on ya!"

"Easy Saru… remember your anger control…"

Roxas and Sora grabbed my shoulders to keep me from mutilating the two older Nobodies. I took a deep breath to get my anger under control, but gave a death glare to Axel and Demyx to give them the message to shut up or I would beat the crap out of them. They gulped nervously, knowing what happens when they piss me off. "You're lucky Roxas and Sora are here."

"'Cuz they're our good friends, and they stick up for us?"

"No.. 'Cuz I don't want to damage their fragile psychies with the thought of your corpses being put through my WOODCHIPPER!"

The Nobodies flinched and backed away as the force of my angry aura. Sora and Roxas were trying to stifle their snickering, but the thought of Axel and Demyx being scared of a - human - teenage girl was just too funny. But it wasn't funny for long.

"Is it possible to put _you_ through the wood-chipper, as it seems to be a fitting punishment for sneaking people in without permission?"

The snickering stopped as all of our faces suddenly lost their color, as if someone just threw bleach on them.

"Oh crud… He's right behind me, isn't he?"

I turned around slowly and hesitantly to face a not-so-happy Saïx, his eyes fixed on me since he knew that I was the creator of this little scheme.

"Oh, uh… Hey Saïx…"

His glare didn't falter. I was definitely in trouble.

"Aw come on Saïx. He's my friend, and isn't it okay for people to invite friends over?"

"Not when they're our enemies."

"Come on. Can he stay? Can he? Please? Please? Pleeeeaaaase?"

The stern look on his face hadn't changed.

"No."

"You're a jerk."

"Say whatever you want, your words don't affect me."

"Alright then… that means the fact that I know one of your little secrets won't affect you either, huh?"

For the first time, his frown disappeared. _"Ha! I got him now!"_ Axel, upon hearing this, sauntered up behind me and hung his arm over my shoulder with a smirk on his face.

"Really now? A secret? Care to shed us some light Saru?"

Since Axel and Saïx hated each other, of course the red-head would want to know any of his embarrassing secrets.

"Since my words don't affect you, that means you won't mind that I tell everybody that you sleep in- Mmph!"

Before I could say any more, a hand clamped over my mouth. I looked and found that the hand belonged to Roxas.

"I know Saïx can be a big jerk sometimes, but he's entitled to his privacy too. If he wants to sleep in Heartless footie pajamas, then he darn well can!" He instantly covered his mouth when he realized what he just said.

Axel immediately started laughing as Saïx turned a few shades of pink.

"No way! You sleep in Heartless footies? Oh, that's too good!"

It _was_ funny, bit I couldn't help but agree with Roxas. If Axel thought _that_ was funny, wait until I unearthed one of _his_ dirty little secrets…

"As long as we're telling secrets, then I'm sure you won't mind if I mention your little habit of… hm… let's see… _sucking your thumb?_" Axel's whole face went pale.

Suddenly I realized that revealing their secrets would cause them to dig up mine. And it would end up a secret war. Taking out my phone, I flipped it open and pressed a secret button. A bright light flashed as everyone tried to shield their eyes, but were blinded by the light's intensity. Everyone except for me, that is; I had special sunglasses on, like the guys from _'Men In Black.'_ They wouldn't remember anything from the past few minutes.

"Whoa… what the hell happened?"

Rubbing his head lightly, Saïx looked up and saw Sora and his eyes bugged out.

"What is the Key-Bearer doing here?"

Putting the phone away, I scratched the back of my head and answered hesitantly, "Umm… we're… having a sleepover?"

He stared at us for a moment before getting his bearings back. "Just keep it down."

He stomped out of the room, and I breathed a huge sigh of relief, unbeknownst to the rest of the boys. I took my phone back out and kissed it.

"An amazing feat of technology…"

"What did you say Saru?

"… Oh… nothing, Sora."

I patted my hand on the phone that was tucked away safely in my pocket with an innocent grin.

"Nothing at all…"

**Banshee: Just to let you know, I'm at the beach and I'll be here for a couple of weeks, so I'm sorry if I can't update as fast as I would like to. The signal for the computer is low here, so I might not get connected sometimes. Hopefully, I'll find a muse for the next chapter. See you soon!**


	7. Nighty Night

**Banshee: Here's chapter 7! Sorry for the wait.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OC and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Seven: Nighty-Night

* * *

Two days - That's how long it's been since the rest of the Organization left on that "special mission." Two days of sleeping on a couch. I got offers to share rooms, but I declined, mentioning my habit of restless sleeping and my tendency to accidentally kick whoever shares a bed with me. But I had to admit that the castle was really creepy when you are by yourself. I almost regretted declining the offers I got, though I was standing firm with my decision.

We managed to sneak Sora back home without attracting attention from the Heartless. It wasn't easy, but we did it. Riku, Kairi, Donald and Goofy were a little suspicious when they saw us - mostly Axel, but then who wouldn't be? - but seeing as Sora was unharmed, and there were no squadrons of Nobodies surrounding them, they believed us.

By the time we got back to the castle, I was so tired, I just collapsed onto the couch. According to Roxas, I was dead to the world. I used my time alone to think of something to do. Then it hit me that Marluxia asked me to tend to his flowers while he was gone. Sighing and getting up, I walked to his room. The room was swarming with all kinds of flowers and plants. I was almost tempted to steal a few of them, but I remembered that Marluxia kept an inventory on every single plant he had, and he would know if I picked one. There was a message on the nightstand containing the instructions as to what to do, including watering, weeding, and all sorts of plant care explained in great detail.

"Sheesh… all this for a bunch of plants? He really _is_ gay." _"-Not that that's a problem, of course."_

Whatever my thoughts were, I did what the instructions said. It took me an hour. My arms, shoulders, and legs were sore from walking, lifting pots, and reaching to water high plants. And to think he did this every day. But the flowers he had were very beautiful. And, once again, I had to fight the temptation to pick one. Damn them flowers and their beauty…

"Wait a minute… How can plants be growing here if there's no light?"

I checked the clock. One-thirty in the morning. Ugh… and I _still_ couldn't sleep. So I resorted to counting sheep. It may be the old-fashioned way of getting to sleep, but it could work… right?

…

…

…

"Four thousand, seven hundred, sixty-five…"

Apparently not.

"Four thousand, seven hundred, sixty-six… Four thousand, seven hundred, sixty- Oh forget it! This isn't working!"

Suddenly I heard something outside and I ran to one of the balconies to take a look.

"Oh no…"

Swarms of Heartless were coming towards the castle, ranging in every shape and size.

"Oh no… No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! This can't be happening!"

I knew I couldn't handle them all myself, but I didn't want to wake the others up. They could be real bears when they're woken up abruptly. That meant I _had_ to take care of the Heartless by myself. It was time for me to break out my machine gun and kick some ass. But the guns I use don't work on Heartless… I decided to go check Xigbar's room; He keeps an extra pair of guns in his closet. The bad part was, he rigged it with booby-traps. Oh boy… I snuck down to Xigbar's room and slowly turned the knob. Opening the door just as slowly, I peered inside to look for any visible traps. I noticed a wire on the doorknob connecting to a pail of God-knows-what right above the door. Taking care to not tip the bucket over, I carefully stepped inside on my tiptoes. Suddenly I felt a line tug at my ankle, and I looked down so see a wire.

"Oh crud…"

…

…

…

I had succeeded in acquiring the extra pair of guns, but my clothes were slightly burned from the flamethrower that Xigbar kept as part of the booby-traps. My face and arms were covered in smoke and ash, and I swore to get back at Xigbar for ruining my favorite shirt. But that wasn't the problem at hand; the problem was the gigantic army of Heartless.

"Okay.. This is it… the fate of the Castle That Never Was rests in my hands…"

…

"We're doomed…"

Swallowing nervously, I took aim and began to fire rapidly. One by one, the Heartless went down. Suddenly, I viewed it less as defending the castle and more as something I saw as fun. Grinning maniacally, I fired again, as more Heartless began dropping onto the ground like flies.

"Hey, this _is_ fun!"

I had no idea how long it took, but all the Heartless were soon completely gone. All I had to do was make sure that the others would _never_ find out about what happened. If they ever did… oh God, I can't even _think_ of what would happen… I dragged my feet into the kitchen, looking for a snack to eat. Finding nothing, I slouched myself over the counter from sheer fatigue.

Walking back into the living room, completely exhausted, I trudged back to the couch. Looking at the little clock on the table, I groaned when it read four in the morning; and I hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. I looked like something the cat dragged in, the dog took back outside, ate, and then spit up. My hair was a mess, my clothes were charred and burnt, my face and arms were covered in ashes, and the bags under my eyes had bags. And I was so tired by then that I didn't even bother covering myself with the blanket, I just dropped onto the couch.

Tossing and turning on the couch for what seemed like forever, I kept looking at the clock only to find that only a minute or two had gone by, making me even _more_ tired than I already was. And the fact that I was going through menstruation didn't help at all; it only made it _worse_. After a few minutes, I finally got my eyes closed. But the problem was, I couldn't _keep_ them closed. Toss, turn, toss, turn, again and again and again until I just gave up and lay there.

Hearing a noise, I looked up to see a familiar mass of red hair in my line of vision. The blur turned into Axel who was wearing a red bathrobe, and carrying a cup of coffee in one hand and a newspaper in the other.

"Morning Sunshine." He mused with a smile on his face, making me jump and fall off the couch.

"A-Axel? What time is it?"

He gave me a weird look.

"It's seven-thirty in the morning. Why?" Giving me a brief look-over, he continued, "Whoa, what happened to you? Did you have a fight with a lawnmower and lose, or what?"

Getting back up on the couch, I pulled the blanket over myself, mumbling incoherent words under my breath.

"Not a morning person, are you?"

"'Not a morning person' doesn't even begin to cover it."

"Maybe it's because you've been sleeping on that raggedy old couch. You're welcome to share my bed. It's nice and comfy."

"I prefer the couch, thank you. You, plus me, plus bed, equals traumatizing mental images that will scar me for life."

"Ouch… That hurts.."

"Deal with it."

"You're mean."

"Your point?"

"… Wow… That was the first time I couldn't think of a snappy comeback…"

"Don't you have other people to bother today? Like Saïx?"

Axel took out a little planner and sifted through the pages.

"Nope. It's all you today. Besides, I have Berserker Boy scheduled for tomorrow."

"That's very interesting… now go away so I can sleep."

"You mean you haven't slept all night?"

"What does it look like?"

"You mustn't have been able to sleep, because you're suffering from severe Axel-withdrawal… You must miss me at night."

"How can I miss you if you don't GO AWAY?"

"Fine, I'm going…"

Axel turned around and walked away. As he was about to exit the room, he turned around and gave a sly grin.

"You sure you don't want to share that couch?"

"GO AWAY!"

He hurried out of the room in fear of what would happen if he pestered me further. I could finally feel my eyes droop before I fell asleep for the first time that night. Little did I know, I was in for a very rude awakening later…

...

...


	8. Akward Beaches

**Banshee: Here's chapter 8!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OC and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Eight: Akward Beaches

* * *

I was in the middle of a dream where it was raining chocolate and jolly ranchers, when a cold rush shocked me out of it. I jolted upward on the couch, to discover I was soaking wet, and Axel, Demyx, and Roxas were huddled in front of me looking at me like they'd never seen a girl sleep before.

"Which one of you did that?" I asked in an irritated voice, giving them all a nasty glare.

Roxas said nothing, and Axel pointed to Demyx. Seeing me glare at him, he hid behind Roxas.

"Axel made me do it… Please don't kill me!"

I gave him a sickeningly sweet smile. "That's okay Demyx. Your throat's not the one I'm going to rip out today… It's AXEL'S!"

Axel screamed as I suddenly jumped off of the couch, a ran away with me chasing after him.

"Wow… Saru doesn't normally run that fast…"

Demyx nodded in agreement, grabbing a box of popcorn out of nowhere and beginning to eat.

I finally calmed down, but Axel had suffered quite a few injuries from my rage. We sat in a small circle, trying to come up with something to do.

"I got it! Let's go to the beach!"

We all looked at Demyx.

"…What?"

"For once… Demyx had a good idea…"

"Saru? In a bathing suit? Hm…"

I grimaced, not wanting to know what perverted thoughts were going through Axel's mind. Especially since he had that stupid perverted grin on his face.

"Sure. The beach sounds like a good idea. We can take Sora, Riku, and Kairi with us too."

Since I was wide awake from chasing Axel, I supposed I didn't have a choice. "Fine.. Beach it is…"

Once again, we had to convince Sora's friends that this wasn't some kind of a trap. Since they saw that we were serious, hell, we were in our bathing suits and carrying beach equipment, they agreed to come with us. It was nice to have another girl around, since I've been stuck with a bunch of boys for the past couple days. Kairi even brought Naminé along, which made Roxas a little nervous, since the rest of us would always tease him about his little crush on her.

I had to admit, traveling somewhere by dark portal was a lot easier. The beach was crowded with people, but we managed to find a spot under some palm trees. "Where are we anyway, Demyx?"

"Hawaii, of course!"

"Hawaii?"

"Well, that explains the surfers…"

"Wow… your choice of vacation spots never ceases to amaze me, Demyx."

Needless to say, we had fun. Riku and Sora were having a tree-climbing competition, Kairi and Naminé were working on their tans, Demyx, Axel, and Roxas were making a sand castle, and I was trying to get Saïx to get out from under the umbrella. After fifteen minutes, I gave up - after getting a few scratches, and went to make a sand castle with the others. Suddenly a Frisbee hit me in the back of the head, and I whipped around, glaring daggers at the poor unfortunate soul that threw the object. My eyes bugged out when I saw a familiar boy with purple-blue hair, the majority of it swept to one side.

"Z-ZEXION?"

He looked at me with a surprised expression, as he probably didn't expect to see me either.

"Saru? What're you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Uhh.."

"Hey Zex, where's that Frisbee?"

Another young man with magenta-colored hair ran up to us, but once he saw me, his eyes bugged out also.

"Saru?"

"Marluxia?"

"What're you guys doing here? Aren't you supposed to be on a 'special mission?'"

They both looked at me nervously, before looking at each other.

"Um… well… you see…"

"Yeah?"

"We… uh…"

"Yeah?"

"We… sorta… uh.."

"Yeah?"

"…"

"…"

I raised an eyebrow at them.

"We're in trouble, aren't we?"

"Yes you are, Marly. Yes you are. And you have a _lot_ of explaining to do. A _lot_ of explaining. Now where's the 'Almighty Superior' and the rest of the Organization, hmm?"

"Saru, what's going on?"

Roxas ran up to me, gaining a surprised expression seeing Marluxia and Zexion at a beach, of all places.

"What're you guys doing here? Aren't you supposed to be on the 'special mission?'"

"Weren't you?" Zexion retorted, making Roxas shrink back.

"Um.. Yeah, but…"

"Whatever your reason, I would like to hear an explanation from Xemnas. Speaking of which, where is ol' Mansex?"

"Um… I don't know if we should…Xemnas might turn us into Dusks…"

"Consider this, Marluxia. Which is worse? Xemnas turning us into dusks, or Saru ripping us limb from limb?"

He thought for a moment, before responding. "You bring up a good point, Zexion…"

This trip to the beach started out as extremely akward, but, to me, it was getting better with every passing minute. This was my perfect opportunity to bust Xemnas. But I had to make sure Sora, Riku, and Kairi did know. I didn't want to ruin their fun, plus, they would go all battle mode on us and think it _was_ a trap after all, and never trust me again. But, seeing as Zexion and Marluxia were both wearing swim trunks, that whole trap idea wouldn't be too logical. Who would ambush someone in swimming trunks? I rest my case…

As much as they didn't want to, Zexion and Marluxia led me to where they were set up. Luckily, the rest of the Organization members, save Roxas, Axel, Demyx, and Saïx, were either in the water or getting something to eat. The only one that was there was the 'Almighty Superior,' who was sitting in a chair in an oh-so-relaxed fashion just under the umbrella with sunglasses on.

"A 'special mission,' huh?"

Upon hearing my voice, Xemnas acknowledged me by lowering his sunglasses and staring lazily.

"Smells more like a 'vacation' to me."

"Saru. What are you doing here, on a beach? I thought you were a creature of darkness, and that you detested the sun."

"Ha ha ha, Xemnas, very funny. Ha ha ha." I laughed dryly, with sarcasm dripping with my words.

"I knew there was something fishy about this 'special mission.' You just took the other members on vacation, but you left Mr. Pyro and Berserker Boy with me so I wouldn't have a quiet moment while you were gone."

At first, he didn't say anything, but he did reply after a few minutes.

"Smart girl."

"Damn right! If you were just going on vacation, why didn't you say so?"

"I was going to, but I figured that it would be more fun to let you figure it out by yourself."

His tone read that he was completely pleased with himself.

"Where are the others?"

"You know them well enough, don't you? You figure it out."

"I hate you…"

"And what a wonderful emotion it is."

At this point, I wanted to grab that jerk and strangle him. But my hands were too small to fit around his throat, and I was too short to reach his throat in the first place. At least I confirmed my suspicions. All that was left was to make sense of it all. And when you know people like the Organization, you know that isn't going to be easy.

...

...


	9. A Girl’s Day Out

**Banshee: Here's chapter 9!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OC and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Nine: A Girl's Day Out

* * *

The day at the beach didn't exactly work out as planned, but we managed to have a good time with out Sora and Riku finding out. Since the goal was not having me find out, the Organization's vacation was cut short. But the others didn't seem to mind. According to some of them, they were getting bored anyway.

Speaking of which, I was bored out of my mind. Now that the rest of the Organization was back, I could have bothered them, but it didn't seem very fun now. I think I wasted all of my bothering time on Axel and Saïx. It wasn't my fault it's so fun to bother them.

So there I was, sitting on the couch, thinking of something to do. Then I got this eerie feeling that I was being watched. As if on cue, none other than Kairi and Naminé appeared behind me.

"Hi Saru!"

"KYAAAHHH!"

Jumping up in the air, I fell onto the floor. Apparently, scaring me to the point of death was everyone's favorite thing to do. Especially since I had an oh-so-desired 'heart.' "Kairi? Naminé? Not you too…" "Sorry Saru.. We didn't mean to scare you."

"In fact… How's about we go have a girl's day out?"

As soon as Kairi said this, I could have sworn my brain just did a back flip. A day without boys? Shopping and gossiping and talking about cute guys? For once, doing girl stuff didn't seem so bad. "Well… as long as it has nothing to do with any guys from the Organization… Let's go!" Both of them beamed up and we all squealed, jumping up and down holding hands. "So where are we going?"

"There's this great mall in Twilight Town…"

We all turned around to find Larxene, who was looking strangely pleasant… "You're coming too?"

"Of course. It was Larxene's idea to go out."

"Okay… who are you and what have you done with Larxene?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing… just… you're usually not so… nice…"

"What's wrong with me being nice once and a while?"

"It's just kind of… creepy… since… Are we gonna go or not?"

I had to admit, it was strange seeing Larxene actually being nice. But what could it hurt? If it meant being away from… you-know-who… then it was fine with me! For those of you who don't know who 'you-know-who' is… take a wild guess…

Larxene was right… the mall was awesome. It had everything… except a prank store… But then I looked and.. Lo and behold, there it was! A _Spencer's_ store! The greatest store on the entire planet!

"Last one in is Xigbar's uncle!" I yelled out, making a run for the store. Kairi and Naminé ran in behind me, and I thought I had won… That is… until Larxene appeared in front of us from a portal.

"Hey! That's not fair!"

"That's what happens when you pick a racing contest with someone who can create portals of darkness."

Damn it… she was right… Guess I was Xigbar's uncle… damn it…

We spent an hour in there until we finally came out. I was holding a bag full of who-knows-what, and being in that store made me in the mood for pulling pranks. That is, until an extremely cute boy with brown hair and green eyes was looking at me. I smiled sheepishly and waved, and the boy smiled back before walking away with his friends. As soon as he was gone, the four of us squealed and started jumping up and down again.

"Did you see that? That boy just smiled at me!"

"He was so cute!"

"I know!"

"Did you see his eyes?"

"I know! They were so sparkly!"

"EEEEEEEEE!"

We stopped what we were doing when we saw a bunch of people were staring at us.

"And what're _you_ all looking at!" As soon as I said this, they all started going back to their own business. Hearing someone laughing, we all turned around to see a blonde girl making fun of another girl. The girl had glasses, numerous freckles on her face, and braces.

"Ugh. I hate people like that." Larxene scoffed in disgust.

"How's about we teach 'em a lesson?"

"That was your most evil thought ever Kairi. What did you have in mind?"

"How about the pen-shocker trick?"

"Perfect…"

"Did you get the shocking set?"

"Yup."

"Perfect…"

We followed the girl - discreetly - to the food court where we got a table that was a few feet away. Carefully unwrapping the shocker pen from the set, we predicted that some guy would want her number. To make sure she and none of her friends had a pen, we sent a Nobody to steal them all. She would have no choice but to ask to borrow one. Sure enough, a boy came up and asked her for her number. She reached into her purse to find her pen was gone. Asking all of her friends, she started to freak out when neither of them had one. "Does someone have a pen?" Right on cue, I took the shocking pen out of my pocket. "I have one."

"Can I borrow it?"

"Sure."

I handed it to her, and she took out a little piece of paper. As she was about to write with it, the pen began to send shockwaves throughout her hand. The girl screamed and dropped the pen as Larxene, Kairi, Naminé , and I started laughing uncontrollably. "How can you do such a horrible thing?" We stopped laughing.

"There's two basic facts of life, hun."

"Yeah: 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you…'"

"And 'Life is a bitch… deal with it!'"

With that, we walked away.

Throughout the rest of the day, we had been to almost every store. We had numerous bags to carry, which made the fact that creating portals was the most useful thing ever. We all plopped ourselves onto the couch, completely exhausted.

"Oh… my feet hurt…"

"Augh… damn heeled boots…"

"These sandals are killing my feet…"

"I am so glad we went shoe shopping…"

"What're you guys whining about?"

We turned around to see Axel, who was leaning against the couch.

"None of your business, carrot-top."

"Sounds like somebody had a bad day…"

"As a matter of fact.. We had a very good day.. And not once, did we have to deal with yo-"

I stopped when Axel started gaining a hurt look. That was when I felt guilt stab me in the chest.

"… Uh… never mind…"

"Yay!"

Axel sprang up and slung his arms around my neck, nearly choking me in the process.

"We'll leave you two alone, now." Larxene said with a coy smile as she, Naminé , and Kairi walked out of the room.

"Guys? Guys? Don't leave me here! Come on!"

… No answer…

"Guys! GUYS!"

...

...


	10. Heartless Plants and Demyx's Favor

**Banshee: Here's chapter 10. Whew, this one took me a little while...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Ten: Heartless Plants and Demyx's Favor

* * *

Despite what happened, I had a really fun girl's day out. Acting like a girl, was actually… good for once. Until they left me with Axel. I had to threaten to castrate him in order for him to leave me alone… or at least let me breathe. I swear, the man's clingier than a puppy to its owner. And Larxene actually being nice was kind of scary, but we had a lot of fun together. What can I say? The Organization brings out the evil in me.

The best part was, I busted Xemnas! Yay! He thought he could pull a fast one on me, but… well… actually, he kinda did, but… you get the point… Now I was bored, and I would have bothered the other Organization members, but:

Xemnas threatened to steal my heart and use it for his plan.

Xigbar said he would shoot me if I bothered him.

Xaldin threatened to stab me with his pointy lances.

Vexen didn't want me messing up his experiments.

Lexaeus disappeared before I could say anything to him.

Zexion went into his dark corner to read.

Saïx said if I bothered him one more time, he would throw me to the Heartless.

Axel is one of those people you couldn't annoy to save your life.

Demyx would cry if I bothered him. Poor Demy…

Luxord would slice me in half with his cards.

Marluxia… I left a little surprise in his room… heh heh heh…

Larxene was nice to me, and I don't want to abuse her good will…

Roxas is too cute to annoy.

And Sora was worlds away, and I doubt that any of the Organization members would be too willing to teleport me there. Besides, he's Roxas' Other, which means he's too cute to annoy too. "Man, this bites…" Suddenly I heard a noise that sounded like the skittering of a mouse.

_"That's weird… the Castle That Never Was doesn't have any mice… or _does_ it?"_

Getting off the couch, I tiptoed to where I heard the noise coming from. Peering around the corner, I saw nothing and the noise was gone.

"Weird…"

There weren't any… ghosts in the castle, were there?

"What are you doing?"

I shrieked and jumped around to find Zexion, who was carrying one of his Edgar Allen Poe books in his hand. "You know I hate it when you guys do that." He just shrugged and looked around the corner to see what I was looking at. "Like I said… what are you doing?"

"Like you care?"

"I'm just asking. You're acting kind of weird."

I looked around to make sure that no one was around before I whispered in his ear.

"Ghosts."

His eyelids drooped.

"'Ghosts…'"

"Yes. 'Ghosts…'"

"… You've been hanging around Axel and Demyx too long. That, and watching too many cartoons…"

"I'm serious!"

"There are no ghosts in the Castle That Never Was."

"You just can't see them because they're invisible."

"Your brain and common sense are invisible…"

"Hey!"

A loud scream suddenly echoed through the halls of the castle, and it was enough to even make Zexion shiver uncontrollably.

"That sounded like…"

"… Marluxia…"

He immediately looked at me with an accusing gleam in his eye.

"Saru… What'd you do to him _this_ time?"

"Why are you insisting it was me?"

"Because you always play pranks on him, along with the other Organization members. Trust me, we've known you long enough to know it isn't _always_ Axel. Now what did you do?"

"I just left a double Venus-flytrap in his room… It shouldn't be that big of a deal…"

"SARUUUUU!"

"Looks like you have some explaining to do."

Thanks to Zexion, I had to explain to Marluxia how a double-Venus-flytrap found it way into his room. It was only a little thing, about the size of a normal potted plant, so it shouldn't have been such a big deal. But, then again, with Marluxia, it was always a big deal. He usually takes the time to over-exaggerate things sometimes.

"Do you mind explaining this?"

I looked up to see a huge, three-headed plant with sharp teeth, vines covering the extent of the room. It's design was vaguely familiar, but I couldn't understand why. "Well?" Marluxia pried with a harsh glare. "That's not the plant…"

"What do you mean?"

"The plant I put in here was a double-Venus-flytrap. It was this big," I gestured with my hands, showing it was no bigger than the average small plant. "It was green, and the flytrap part was a salmon color. You're a plant expert Marly. Does that," I pointed to the giant plant, "look _anything_ like a double-Venus-flytrap?"

He looked again. The plant was a dark purple color from the stem up, and its "mouths" were the same color but with a familiar symbol on each "head." Realization hit us all in the face when we figured out that it wasn't a plant at all!

"That's no plant! That's a Heartless!"

"A what?"

We all looked at the door and there was Roxas, in his paopu fruit pajamas - that were slightly too big for him, rubbing his tired eyes. I had to resist the urge to attack him with another hug.

"Do you guys have _any_ idea what time it is?" He looked at us, then at the giant plant-Heartless. "Since when did you have a plant that looked like a Heartless?"

Unlike the rest of us, Roxas hadn't seen a large variety of Heartless. The only kinds he saw were Shadows, Neon-Shadows, Soldiers, and Large Bodies. But he knows there are more types from his ties to Sora (duh, he's Sora's Nobody), who has seen pretty much every kind. I hastily got behind Roxas, and began to gently push him out of the room and back to his own.

"Um.. it's nothing, Roxie.. Why don't you go back to bed? Uncle Marly, Uncle Zexy, and Auntie Saru will take care of everything, okay?"

"… M'kay."

Since Roxas was too tired to understand anything I just said, he didn't try to fight and went straight back to his room. I wiped my forehead and breathed a sigh of relief. But there was still the matter of the giant plant… Heartless… thing. Marluxia summoned his scythe and got into his battle stance. Zexion and I just stood in the doorway watching, since I wanted to watch, and Zexion didn't have a weapon - as far as I know. Marluxia took a large diagonal slice with scythe and cut the Heartless right in two, making it disappear in a black mist. With the deed done, the scythe disappeared and he turned back to me, still demanding how it got there. "For the last time, Saru… Were you responsible for this?"

"No." I answered simply.

"You were the last one in my room while I was gone, so it _must_ have been you!"

"I put a double-Venus-flytrap in here, and, as you can see, that was _not_ a double-Venus-flytrap. So, _ha_. And why are you blaming me anyway?"

"I know you, you're just like Axel. _Just like_ him! You always pull pranks on me, so how can I _not_ blame you?"

Zexion was about to walk out of the room when I grabbed him by his hood and dragged him back in. "Oh no you don't! You're gonna tell Marluxia that I am not responsible for that Heartless!"

"Why?"

"Because I said so!"

"Okay… she is not responsible for that Heartless… it just… got there…"

"See? You believe Zexion, don't you?"

"I believe him. It's _you_ I don't trust."

"Aw, Marly, I'm flattered."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"I know."

Marluxia gained a grim visage as he shared strange looks with Zexion. "Where did we find her again?"

"She broke into the castle and was hacking the computer. We kept her as a prisoner until the Superior decided she wasn't a threat and set her free. She's been stuck with us ever since," he shrugged.

"Don't start with that! It was an accident!"

"Sure it was…"

"You guys are jerks…"

I stomped out of the room and headed back to the couch, since they still wouldn't let me go home. Apparently, the deal I made with the 'Almighty Superior' was that I could wander through the castle freely, I just couldn't leave the castle or the World That Never Was unless I had an Organization member with me. I hope my parents don't find out that I'm staying with a castle with a bunch of guys, and two girls (Larxene and Naminé ), in it. They would have a conniption… then they'd kill me…

"Saru…"

I looked over and saw Demyx, also in his pajamas (with little music notes on them) tapping his fingers together as if he had a favor to ask. "Yes Demyx?" He blushed and tapped his fingers faster, completely embarrassed with what he was about to ask.

"I had… had a bad dream…"

I looked at him strangely.

"And what do you want me to do about it?"

"Would you… sleep with me? I mean… you're the only one… nobody else will stay with me… Please?"

I scratched my head, as Demyx asked me that question again. Every time he had a bad dream, he would ask me to stay with him so he could sleep better. "That depends… what was the dream about?"

"It was scary… I was in my underwear at the supermarket!"

"… What?"

He started crying.

"It was awful! Everybody was laughing at me.. And… sniff… and…"

"I think you'll get through this yourself."

He sniffled even more and gave his puppy eyes, and I sighed in defeat. The only people that could get away with it was Roxas, Sora, and, of course, Demyx.

"Alright… But _just_ for tonight, okay?"

"Yay!"

He jumped up and down, then he wrapped his arms around me, saying how great I was, and how nice I was to him.

"Demyx…"

He finally realized what he was doing.

"Oh.. Right… no touchie…"

He got off of me, a little embarrassed. We walked to his room and he got into his bed as I sat down on the floor. "Saru?"

"I'm staying down here, thank you."

"Come on, Saru. You promised…"

"Promised what?"

"That you'd sleep with me whenever I asked you to."

"So?"

"That means in the bed, Saru."

"I'd rather not…"

"C'mon, please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"_No_."

"You promised…" He pried, using the puppy-eyes again. Sighing again, I got into the bed. He was on the right, I was on the left.

"Thank you Saru."

"Just… stay on your own side."

"'Kay."

A few hours had passed, and I was just about to get to sleep when I felt arms wrapping around me again. Looking over, I saw Demyx, who was sound asleep.

"Demyx…"

No answer.

"Demyx…"

Still no answer.

"Demyx…"

Knowing he wouldn't wake up, I sighed again. Demyx tended to cuddle whoever shared a bed with him in his sleep. I would have smacked him in the head and pushed him away, but he was naïve and wasn't perverted like your average guy (coughAxelcough). Like I said before, he's too cuddly to be mad at. It wasn't long before I fell asleep also. The only problem was that he also had a tendency to talk nonsense in his sleep too…

"But Mooooomm… I dun' wanna go to school t'day…"

Opening my eyes at the abrupt statement, I looked back at Demyx, knowing I wouldn't get to sleep anytime soon. With him so close to me, he was literally mumbling incoherent nonsense into my ear. Naminé was right… I should have gotten those earplugs while we were at the mall…

"… I want to stay home an' bake cookies wit you…"

"Ugh…"

This was gonna be a loooong night…

...

...


	11. Vexen's Experiment Gone Wrong

**Banshee: Here's chapter 11.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OC and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Eleven: Vexen's Experiment Gone Wrong

* * *

That morning I woke up with a stiff back from having to stay in one position all night. I had to, otherwise, if I moved I would take Demyx with me and we'd both end up in an even worse position. The _last_ thing I needed was the other members getting any bad ideas in their heads… _especially_ that perverted red-head Axel.

Hanging out in Roxas' room, I watched as Axel and Demyx were playing a racing game. I was lying upside down and Roxas was lying on his stomach with his head resting on his hands. Just as Axel was about to win, I took a stick out of nowhere and began poking said pyro in the back of the head. As he turned around, I hid the stick behind my back and tried to look innocent.

"Stop poking me."

"Stop what?" I asked innocently.

"Poking me."

"What about poking you?"

"Stop it."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't lie to me! You poked me with a stick!"

"Oh… did that stick look like… this?"

I took the stick back out and poked Axel hard in the forehead.

"Yes. Stop it."

I poked him again.

"Stop it Saru!"

Poke.

"Quit it!"

Poke.

"Saru!"

Poke.

"Saru!"

Poke.

As I withdrew the stick, Axel flicked his finger and it caught on fire turning to ash in my hand and crumpling to the floor. He turned around to finish the game to see Demyx's car crashing into his and making it fall out of the track as his own passed the finish line. Demyx jumped up in the air as Axel made a 'wtf?' look on his face, and the water manipulator went into a medley of victory whoops. Axel looked at me accusingly, knowing my meddling was the cause of his loss. I shrugged. "What?"

"You made me lose."

"Come on, Demyx deserves to win at least once."

He was about to say something when Vexen appeared out of a portal that suddenly appeared in the room. "Good God, Vexen, don't you guys know how to _knock_?"

"You're still here?"

"Duh. What do you want old man?"

Axel and I began snickering as Vexen's eyebrow twitched. It was a little joke I would pull on him, but he always took it too seriously. "I _was_ going to show you a new experiment I've been working on, but, since you're going to act like little children, I just decided not to."

Suddenly I was interested.

"Aw, I'm sorry Uncle Vexy… Pwease can we see the experiment?"

I made the classic 'Puss-In-Boots' face with the big eyes and pouty lips. His eyebrow only twitched in response.

"No."

My face cracked.

"WHAT?"

Steam poured out of my ears as I grabbed Vexen by the collar and got right in his face.

"Listen you, I just suddenly got interested in one of your cockamamie experiments, and you tell me 'no!' Now you're going to show us that experiment, or, so help me, I'll gut you of what little internal organs you have, stuff you, and use you as a decoration in my living room! Capiche!"

I could have sworn I saw his face pale as the three Nobodies behind me backed away several feet at the intensity of my aura.

"Yes.. Of course…"

"Thank you."

I let him go and he summoned another portal. As we were about to follow him in, Axel turned to me with a smirk.

"I love the way you negotiate."

"Aw, thank you Axel."

He gave me a sly grin.

"Does this mean I can call you 'baby?'"

I stared at him for a moment.

"No."

His grin faltered.

"Well, how about 'sweetheart?'"

"No."

"Lamb chop?"

"No."

"Honey bunch?"

"No."

"Sweetie-pie?"

"No."

"Baby-cakes?"

"No."

"Love-bucket?"

"No."

"Pudding-pop?"

"No."

"Sugar-bunny?"

"No."

"Sweety-lovey-dovey-pudding-pop?"

"_No_."

"Sweety-lovey-dovey-honey-bunny-pudding-pop?"

"_No_."

"Sweety-lovey-dovey-honey-bunny-pudding-"

"_NO!_"

I pushed him into the portal, watching him disappear. "Jeez, that guy is _hopeless_." I jumped into the portal as it begun to close, into the darkness.

We all reappeared in Vexen's lab, and I looked around as I've never seen it before… he never let me in until now… The room was filled with test tubes, electrical devices, high-tech buttons, and various experiments we was 'working the bugs' out of. Vexen walked over to a large containment unit, with a large sheet draped over it. He grabbed onto the sheet and prepared to pull it off. "I guarantee that this will be the most amazing thing you've ever seen."

"It's not another Riku replica, is it?"

Axel and Demyx started snickering as Vexen's eyebrow twitched again, as we reminded ourselves of that whole 'Sora's memories' nonsense. Roxas, himself, stayed silent, because usually when we poked fun at another member it would always come back to bite us in the butt. Then again, everything else we did would do that too.

"I have been able to splice together the genetic code of a Heartless and a Nobody, combining them into one. Behold!"

He pulled off the sheet to reveal what looked like half a Dusk, and half a Shadow floating in a containment unit. Black antennae protruded from his head, and a combination of a Nobody and Heartless symbol was implanted on its forehead. Its body was similar to a Dusk's, but it's silver color faded to black along the end of the limbs, from the elbow down to the tip of its fingers, and from the knee to the tip of its toes. It was definitely the most amazing thing I've ever seen.

"I call it, the Dusk-ow!"

We all fell over, not expecting him to actually name it. And a 'Dusk-ow,' no less. He never was very creative with names.

"A 'Dusk-ow?' You're kidding, right Vexen?"

Demyx scratched his head.

"Yeah Vex, it sounds kind of… dorky…"

"So is being afraid of cameras."

"But they steal your soul!"

"Sure…"

"Well what else do you expect me to call it?"

"A Sha-dusk?"

"A Heart-body?"

"A No-Heart?"

As we were trying to figure out what _else_ to call it, Roxas was busy watching the strange creature. He jumped when one of its fingers twitched and its yellow eyes snapped open.

"Uh… guys?" But his voice was too sheepish for us to hear him over our squabbling. "Guys? I think it's moving…"

He was continually ignored until he decided to take a blow horn out of his pocket and pressing the button. A loud noise erupted throughout the lab and echoing off the walls since there was nothing to absorb it.

"Jesus Roxas, what was that for!"

"The experiment just moved… is that good, or bad?"

"It did?"

"It's alive! It's alive!"

"Vexen, stop doing that, it's creepy…"

Demyx looked at the experiment and jumped when its gaze moved to him. He quickly hid behind Axel who rolled his eyes. "Come on, Demyx, don't be such a scaredy-cat."

"You know, it's kinda cute."

The Dusk-ow started to writhe and squirm in the containment, and I backed away as I started to get nervous. "Hey Vexen… is this thing… dangerous?"

"As long as it's in that containment unit, everything will be just fine. There's no way it will ever-"

The Dusk-ow disappeared into a portal it created, and suddenly we all started freaking out.

"You were saying?"

Suddenly, the lights went out and there was no light except for the light radiating off of the serums that Vexen was constantly creating.

"Everyone! Huddle together! It won't be able to get us if we stay together!"

"Ow Axel, that's my foot!"

"Sorry.."

"Ow! Your elbow's in my ribs, Demyx!"

"Sorry Roxas…"

A few minutes passed by without a sound from anybody or anything…

"Is everyone here?"

"I think so.."

"Saru?"

"Yup."

"Vexen?"

"Present."

"Axel?"

"Right here."

"Roxas?"

"I'm okay."

"Demyx?"

…

"Demyx?"

No answer.

"Oh no! That crazy creation of Vexen's has got Demyx!"

Axel flicked his finger and a flame erupted from the tip of his finger creating a light. We looked around, and lo and behold, there was no Demyx.

"He probably just ran off like the big sissy he is…"

That may have been the way Demyx would act, but he was in the room with us just a second ago. Either he teleported out, or he was kidnapped!

"Just the same, with that monstrosity running around, it's only a matter of time before it gets all the other members. And besides, we have to catch that thing before Xemnas finds out about it."

The three Nobodies nodded their heads in agreement, knowing that what I said was true. A Heartless/Nobody is a dangerous combination indeed…

"Since the Dusk-ow seems to be going after single prey, we should all stick together."

I felt Axel glue himself to my side, and I eyelids drooped in irritation.

"Not so close Axel! You're making me claustrophobic!" I yelled, pushing him away to a moderate distance. They brandished their weapons and we set off, tiptoeing out the door to look for the other members.

The entire castle was pitch black, and we all felt like the characters in those zombie survival games. It felt like that thing could come out and grab any of us at any second.

"What if it went to other worlds and is starting to create more of itself?"

"That's nonsense! The Dusk-ow is one of a kind."

"Vexen has a point guys… it's like breeding a lion and a tiger.. their offspring can't breed, because they're a combination of two different species."

"I don't know, you kinda lost me…"

"Ugh… never mind…"

We tiptoed further through the castle, making sure that we were all there. When we rounded a corner, I felt myself bump into another body. Looking up, I saw Saïx. "What are you nitwits doing _this_ time?" I grabbed him by the shoulders, and attempted to reason with him.

"You're in danger! Vexen's experiment kidnapped Demyx, and it might be after the rest of us!"

"Demyx? I was wondering why everything got quiet all of a sudden…"

"I'm serious! The only chance we have is if we stay together!"

He stared at me like I was insane.

"If you think I'm going to fall for another one of your childish pranks, think again."

"This isn't a prank Saïx, Saru is really telling the truth!"

"Hm… then let's see this so-called 'dangerous experiment.'"

"So you're coming with us?"

"Only to prove to you that this is all in your head."

I pushed him into the huddle, as we continued to walk. Next stop: Marluxia's room. We tiptoed inside, looking for said pink-haired Nobody.

"Where's Marluxia?"

"Maybe that monstrosity got him too.."

A door opened and we saw Marluxia walking out of his bathroom in a robe, carrying his toothbrush. He screamed upon seeing us, then glared menacingly.

"What are you doing in here!"

"No time to explain!" I shouted as Axel and I grabbed him and pushed him into our huddle.

"What is the meaning of this?"

We ignored him and continued to walk.

We searched the majority of the castle, picking up the other members, against their will or otherwise, until the only one that was left was the Superior. We initiated a roll call every half hour to make sure we were all there. Miraculously, we were. But as we searched for said Superior, we figured out that we greatly underestimated this experiment. As we continued to walk, I felt someone step on my foot.

"Ow, Axel, that's my foot!"

"I'm not Axel."

"What?"

"I'm Xigbar."

"But.. Where's Axel?"

"I don't know."

"But he was right behind me.."

"You don't think…"

"No wonder it suddenly got dark…"

"No wonder it suddenly got _quiet_…"

I took out a flashlight - once again our of nowhere - and flashed it around to find the pyro. I saw everyone else, except for Demyx and… "Axel's gone too! But how!"

"First Demyx, now Axel… who's next?"

"Let's just keep moving…"

…

…

…

It seemed as the further we went, the more of us went missing. First there was Demyx, then Axel. Then the experiment got Marluxia, and Zexion. Then it got Lexaeus. After that, it got Xaldin and Xigbar. The last to go were Larxene and Luxord. The only ones that were left were me, Roxas, Saïx and Vexen.

"I'm starting to think that this is all hopeless… we're doomed…"

"Calm down Roxas… look, we're right outside Xemnas' room. I'm sure he's just fine, and the others might be too.."

I turned the knob to go in, and we saw Xemnas at his desk examining numerous files. Creeping up on him, we saw the Dusk-ow, raising its claws and preparing to attack.

"Xemnas! Look out!"

Just as he looked around, I collided with him, knocking him out of his chair. We both landed on the floor harshly, with the Dusk-ow looming over us.

"Saru! What is the meaning of this!"

"That!" I pointed at the experiment.

"What in the name of Kingdom Hearts is '_that_?'"

"Vexen's most recent experiment. It went nuts and kidnapped all the other members except for Roxas, Saïx, and Vexen.. And me of course."

"I don't see anything."

"What?"

I looked, and there was nothing there.

"Roxas? Vexen? Saïx?"

No response.

"Oh no! Not Roxas, Saïx, and Vexen! What'll we do?"

"And what do you expect _me_ to do about this?"

"You're the Superior! Save the other members!"

Suddenly, the experiment appeared in front of us, and I jumped, getting into a self-defense stance. The Dusk-ow just cocked it's head to the side in confusion. I looked at it, in a state of confusion myself.

"Is this the so-called 'crazy' experiment?"

I scratched my head. "Where is everybody!"

A portal appeared on the wall behind the Dusk-ow and everyone started falling out of it. One by one, they all fell to the floor, starting with Demyx and ending with Vexen. Everyone appeared to be unharmed… I saw Roxas, Demyx and Axel, and started screaming.

"Omigod, are you okay!"

Axel held out his arms, expecting me to run to him, but he was dumbstruck when I wrapped my arms around Demyx and Roxas.

"Are you guys okay! That Dusk-ow didn't hurt you, did it!"

"No, Saru, we're okay, really…"

"Hey, what about me?"

"Oh.. Hey Axel.."

"Saru!"

"But.. Why did it bring everybody back? And more confusing: why did it kidnap everyone in the first place?"

Vexen placed a hand on the top of the Dusk-ow's head. "You see, I created this creature from combining a Heartless and a Nobody. But I gave this experiment what the real thing doesn't have… a heart! It has the powers and abilities of the Heartless and Nobodies, but it has the heart of a normal person."

I stared at him confusedly.

"It means that it isn't mean or dangerous… it was just lonely."

I stared first at Roxas, then at the Dusk-ow. It cocked its head to the side again, and I felt myself fall victim to its cuteness.

"Aw, c'mere little guy!" It jumped into my arms, and begun to purr. "I think I'm gonna keep it. I'll call you… Momo!"

"'Momo?'"

"Like I said…" Zexion muttered. "… too much cartoons.."

"That's all very fascinating, but… could you all please GET OUT OF MY ROOM!"

"Aw, Xemnas, you're ruining the moment…"

"Get out, or I'll turn you all into Dusks!"

Everyone filed out of the room, due to the intensity of Xemnas' anger. It was scary all right, but at least one good thing happened during this whole fiasco… I got a new pet! I suppose this experiment didn't go completely wrong after all… that's a first… I just hope Xemnas will let me keep this one.

...

...


	12. Bummed Out Birthday

**Banshee: Here's chapter 12.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OC and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Twelve: Bummed Out Birthday

* * *

I went on the whole day without a peep from the Organization. It turns out that Xemnas let me keep Momo after all… as long as I take care of and clean up after him. Marking down the days on my calendar, I counted down until my birthday. Even though it was a few months away now, the Organization liked to celebrate it early; that's what we did with everyone's birthday. I had my day planned to a T - hanging out with my new pet, Momo under the glow of Kingdom Hearts. Unfortunately, I sent Momo to my house to check on things so I could hang out alone for a while. Right now, some of the members were poking fun at me for misunderstanding Momo for some kind of monstrosity and freaking out. Sure… I make _one_ mistake. A dark portal suddenly appeared in front of me and Axel poked out of it.

"Come with me! Hurry!"

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Why?"

"Come on, or you'll miss it!"

"Miss what?"

He groaned in irritation and grabbed my wrist. "Come on!"

Axel yanked me into the portal by my arm, the surprising part being that my arm was still intact, and the entrance to the portal closed. Next thing I knew, I fell on my stomach onto the floor with everyone else standing on their feet.

"Saru, so nice you could _drop _in."

I began hoisting myself up off the floor, and grunted, "Ha ha, very funny Riku."

Then a thought clicked in my head. I felt someone grabbing my arm, and I saw - none other than - Riku helping me up.

"Riku? What're you doing here?"

Looking around some more, I saw more people I didn't expect to be there: Riku, Sora, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Leon, Cloud, Yuffie, Aerith, everyone that I had come in contact with; they were all there.

"There's no way we'd miss a friend's birthday!" Sora walked over to me and patted my shoulder.

"All this… for my birthday? Aw, you guys remembered!" I yelled happily, giving Sora a hug.

"Come now Saru, it's time to open your presents." Merlin appeared in a puff of smoke, holding a nicely-wrapped present in his hands. I took the present, and looked at it for a moment. "This one's from all of us at Radiant Garden."

The present was neatly wrapped in a shiny purple foil, with a blue ribbon tied neatly in a bow. I shook it lightly to get an idea of what was inside.

"Come on Saru, open it!"

"The suspense is killing me! Open it!"

Grabbing hold of the bottom fold and began to rip it off. Underneath the foil was a white box. Opening the box slowly, I looked inside the dark depths wondering what was inside.

"Oh my god!" I reached inside and pulled out a small cartridge, with a bright smile. "A new video game? You shouldn't have… what is it?"

"We made and programmed it specifically to fit the needs of the player, or players. It's an interactive racing game, with futuristic vehicles and brand new never-before-seen race tracks. It also includes traps and weapons to use against other competitors."

"Like _Crash: Nitro Cart_?"

"Yes. Like that."

"Oh boy!"

"Open ours next, Saru!"

Sora shoved his present into my hand. This one was wrapped messily, knowing Sora, and it was tied with a string. It was longer than the first, almost like a… no… it couldn't be… I quickly ripped the wrapping paper off, and untied the string. The box was easy to open, and what I saw amazed me.

"My own Keyblade! Oh, you guys! And it's the one I designed, too!"

Sora beamed, obviously pleased with himself. "We had a little help from Yen Sid and King Mickey, but we did it! We made you your very own Keyblade!"

"What'll you call it Saru?" Kairi asked.

"I'll call it…" I noted it's dark red, blue, and black colors and pointy edges. "Infinite Darkness."

"'Infinite Darkness'… I like that." Xemnas murmured to himself, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"That's so sweet you guys." I gave the three another hug. "And tell Yen Sid and King Mickey I said 'thank you.'"

They nodded, and I was given another present by Goofy. "This one's from everybody at the castle, Saru."

The one from Disney Castle was wrapped in yellow foil with the Mickey Mouse emblem. Nestled at the top was a neat little blue bow. I made quick work of this present too, and opened the box to see an orb about the size of my fist. "What's this?"

Goofy pointed to it.

"It… uh… you see, it… uh… what does it do again, Donald?"

Donald gave an exasperated sigh.

"It allows you to see things you've done in the past on a whim."

"Yeah," Goofy interrupted, finally remembering. "Like important things, or past events you can look back on."

"Boy, do I need this. Thanks Donald. Thanks Goofy."

I put the small orb down and came face to face with another box. "This one's from the Organization, Saru. Hurry, open it!" Taking the dark box from Roxas, I looked at it from all angles, eyeing it suspiciously. "Where's the booby trap?"

They all laughed.

"There's no booby trap, you nitwit."

"Just open it!"

I didn't need to open it, for the box dissipated on its own, revealing a full Organization outfit including gloves, boots, and, of course, the cloak; and it was _my_ size. I picked up the coat and looked at it.

"What's this?"

"You've been with us long enough, that we've decided to make you an official member of the Organization."

My eyes bugged out at what Xemnas had said. They seriously did this? It wasn't some sort of prank?

"Really?"

"Yup! Welcome to the Organization, Number XIV!"

"This isn't a joke?"

"Nope. Not a joke."

"I don't know what to say…"

Suddenly, Momo appeared in front of me, holding a small message. He held it out to me, and I took it, unfolding the paper and reading it. My expression went from surprised to about-to-cry in an instant, as for why, the others had no idea. "Oh no…"

"What happened?" Demyx asked, trying to peek at the note from over my shoulder. Before anyone could see it, I crumpled the note and threw it onto the floor. Then I grabbed Momo and ran out of the room, barely attempting to muffle the sound of my crying.

"She was so happy a second ago… what happened?"

Axel picked up the note and began to read, suddenly understanding why I acted the way I did.

"What does it say Axel?"

"It says that Saru's cat died not too long ago…"

"What's the big deal? It's just a cat."

"To Saru, a cat is a big deal. Apparently, this cat was very special to her."

"So much for a happy birthday…"

"We can't just let Saru spend the rest of her birthday all bummed out and upset! We have to do something!"

"What do you suppose we do, Sora? It's not like we can bring it back to life."

"I might be able to if I…"

"What Riku means is a _live_ cat, not a _zombie_ cat, Vexen…"

"Let's cheer her up then!"

"Everything cheers her up, Demyx…"

"Not when she's upset.."

"I have a plan… Now listen… if we just…"

Everyone huddled together to hear Axel's plan.

…

…

Meanwhile, I was sitting with my knees drawn to my chest on Roxas' bed, crying my eyes out with Momo trying to cheer me up. So far, his attempts were for naught. I heard a knock at the door, and told whoever it was to go away. They came in anyway, and I saw it was Cloud. He came in and took a seat next to me. "How are you feeling?"

I didn't answer.

"Still upset, I see… Want to play your new video game? I'll show you how it works and everything."

I shook my head slowly, still not saying a word. Cloud sighed, as he was beginning to think this whole plan Axel cooked up wouldn't work. He then tried something he would never normally do: make a funny face. He pushed his face in with his hands, making it have the appearance of a fish. A face like that would have made me laugh any other day, but not today. I looked at him without even cracking a smile. He released his face and put a finger to his chin, tapping it thoughtfully.

"That didn't work either, huh?" I just sat there silently, not saying a word before I finally sighed and said something.

"Cloud, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but it's just… not… doing it for me today… If you don't mind, I'd like to…"

"I think I know what you mean.. Just don't spend the rest of the day dwelling on this, okay? It's your birthday, and you should be having a good time."

He got up and walked out of the room, closing the door. On the other side, Demyx and Axel were waiting.

"How is she?"

Cloud sighed as he let go of the doorknob. "She's still upset. Even the face didn't work."

At this, Demyx collapsed.

"The face didn't work! Who _is_ she!" He exclaimed dramatically, with his face in his hands.

"Calm down Demyx, remember our plan. We'll just have to try again."

…

…

I was in the kitchen getting myself a depressing snack to feed my depressed stomach, when Sora appeared as I closed the refrigerator door. "Hello Sora."

"Hey Saru!"

Sora suddenly produced a deck of cards from one of his many pockets. "Wanna see a card trick?"

He attempted to shuffle the cards, except it ended in all the cards sprawling out of his hands and pouring onto the floor in a heap. Gulping nervously, he managed to choke out, "Uh… Ta-da?"

I didn't turn my gaze from the refrigerator.

"That's very nice Sora."

"B-But you didn't even look!"

"That's nice…"

He groaned and hung his head in defeat and began to walk away.

"Ooh! Wait!"

Zipping back into his previous position, he grabbed the chocolate bar from my hands and hid it behind his back.

"Give me back my chocolate, Sora."

He halted my movements by putting a hand up. "Hold on."

Suddenly both of his hands were in front of him, in a fisted fashion. My chocolate bar was in one of those hands.

"Which hand has the chocolate? You only got one shot."

I stared absent-mindedly at his fists for a moment until I saw some chocolate running in-between the fingers on his left hand.

"The left."

"Uh… how'd you know?"

"You have chocolate leaking between your fingers. Now can I have my chocolate back?"

He groaned and relinquished his grip on the now half-melted chocolate bar. Handing it back to me, he walked to the sink and turned on the water to wash off the obstructing chocolate.

"Is nothing gonna cheer you up?"

I looked at him with a flat visage. "Not today, Squirt, not today."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Completely sure?"

"Yes."

"Absolutely completely sure?"

"Yes."

"Completely absolutely completely-"

"YES! NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!"

I grabbed his shoulders, shoved his feet into roller skates I got out of nowhere, and gave him a hard shove forward, making him shoot out of the kitchen at a frightening speed. For a second, I felt bad for doing that to Sora, one of my favorite people, for almost no reason. But for some reason, everyone seemed to be bothering me when they clearly knew I wanted to be alone. But just when I thought I was alone, Demyx came into the kitchen, a big grin on his face.

"Hey Saru."

"Hello Demyx."

He lost the grin at the dullness of my tone, but he further tried to break the ice.

"So, uh… how's the cat-augh!" He face palmed himself as I began to cry again. "Wait, wait, Saru… I didn't mean to… It's okay, the kitty's okay… he's in a better place, y'know? Please don't cry Saru… Come on, it's depressing.."

He attempted to calm me down by putting a hand on my shoulder. That action made something in my mind click and I grabbed his arm and flipped him over, making him land hard on the floor.

"IF YOU DON'T WANT ME TO CRY, THEN KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT YOU IDIOT!"

I could almost see hurt in his eyes as they began to produce tears.

"… W-Wait… Demyx, I… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

But the damage had already been done. He got up on his feet and began to cry uncontrollably, running out of the room. At that instant, I felt bad. Making someone cry was one thing… but making a person like Demyx cry was a _very bad_ thing. Because he was the kind of person who wouldn't let this kind of thing go until he got an apology. And he definitely made sure of it. First I yelled at Sora, then Demyx… what else could go wrong?

…

…

Meanwhile, Demyx rounded the corner in the hallway, then stopped short. He looked around the corner several times before Axel appeared next to him. "So how'd it go?"

Demyx grinned.

"She fell for it: Hook, line, and sinker. She really thinks she hurt my feelings."

Axel put a hand to his chin.

"It took a lesser amount of people to annoy her than expected…"

"What were you doing all this time, anyway?"

Axel took on a grin of his own, and took out a small box, around the size of a shoebox. He opened it slightly, letting Demyx peek inside and closed it just as quickly.

"Are you sure this'll work Axel?"

"You know Saru. If she went crazy over Momo, then she'll go just as crazy over this," he said, emphasizing by pointing at the box.

"I hope this works."

"It will, Demyx… it _will_."

…

…

I was sitting in Roxas' room again, with said Nobody still nowhere to be seen, slowly patting Momo on the head. I heard the door slowly opening and saw Roxas peeking his head through the small space.

"Hey, Saru. There's something you have to see."

Because I didn't want to yell at Roxas too, I got up lazily and headed to the door, with Momo following me. He led me to the same room as before, and everybody was all there once again.

"What's this all about?"

Roxas sat me down on the chair, and he picked up a box, putting it on my lap.

"You forgot one more present. This one's from all of us."

When the box began to move, I was suddenly concerned. "Um… what is this?"

"Well, we thought… since your old cat died…"

Once again, something clicked in my brain and I quickly took the lid off the box. Inside, was the most adorable kitten I ever saw. It was small, and black, with bright yellow eyes. A patch of white fur in the shape of a diamond was on its forehead, and a pink bow was tied around its neck.

"You mean… is this… for me?"

"Duh. We know how much you wanted a black cat, so…"

"But… who's idea was this?"

"Axel's of course."

"Axel?"

I looked at Axel, who had a satisfied grin on his face.

"But.. Why?"

"We wanted to cheer you up, so we got you a new kitten. We know how much you love kittens."

"So… all that before…"

"Was all part of Axel's plan."

"Even yelling at you guys?"

"Yup."

"Aw, I'm sorry…"

"Hey, it's okay. You're happy now, aren't you?"

"Well… I guess I am."

"What'll you name her Saru?"

"Her?"

"Yeah. What'll you name her?"

"Well… I've always wanted to name a cat this, so I'll call her… Hazel."

As I nuzzled the kitten's nose, Axel walked up to me with his arms crossed and that smirk still on his face.

"Well?"

"… Thanks Axel. I guess you're not such a pervert and a jerk, after all."

His smirk got wider.

"Does this mean you'll be my-"

"NO, IT _DOESN'T_ MEAN I'LL BE YOUR GIRLFRIEND!"

I smacked him hard in the back of the head.

"Ow! Will you _ever_ let me be your boyfriend?"

"Hm… let me think… No!"

"…"

"…_But_…"

His ears perked up.

"You're my boy… _friend_. And to me, that's even better than an advanced relationship."

"Works for me…. _Girl-_friend."

He moved to put an arm around my shoulder, when Hazel began to hiss, her black fur standing on end. Axel immediately backed away, suddenly regretting ever getting that cat.

"I think this is the beginning of a _beautiful_ friendship." I said in a satisfied tone, scratching behind Hazel's ear, as she began to purr. Suddenly, I began to feel that this really _was_ the best birthday I ever had.

...

...


	13. Here Kitty Kitty Kitty

**Banshee: Here's chapter 13!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OC and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Thirteen: Here Kitty Kitty Kitty

* * *

Now that I knew it was planned that I hurt Demyx and Sora's feelings, I didn't have to feel bad. But I apologized anyway, since I couldn't have the guilt weighing on my shoulders. "Hey, that's what friends are for, right?" That's what they both said.

Since it was Axel's idea to get me a kitten, I decided to find a way to thank him. But when he decided to rub it in my face, I just decided to smack him a few times to _try_ to knock some sense into his fat head. Leave it to Axel to mess up his own good deed. And since yesterday, he's been stretching the boy-_friend_ thing. How do I know? He tries to make a pass at me whenever he gets the chance. Still he doesn't get that he's my boy-_friend_, not my boyfriend. That's why whenever he tries to hit on me, I sick Hazel and Momo on him. I love having pets… And speaking of Hazel…

"Hazel?"

No answer.

"Hazel?"

Still no answer.

"Uh-oh…"

Hazel was gone. And the door to my room: wide open. And only one person leaves my door open.

"Axel…"

It seems that Axel had been jealous of Hazel ever since the first day. How do I know? Whenever Hazel keeps him from getting to me, I can feel the temperature in the room get hotter.

"Oh no… my poor baby is lost in the castle!"

I felt something tug on my pant leg, and I saw Momo, who was looking pretty miffed, himself. "You're my baby too, Momo, you know that."

Satisfied, Momo curled up into a ball in his little bed in the corner without another sound. Now was the next matter at hand: ripping Axel's internal organs out.

I stomped down to his room, where said Nobody was inside playing his Nintendo DS. Sauntering over to the beanbag chair he was sitting in, I looked over his shoulder to see what he was playing.

"Whatcha doin'?"

His eyes didn't leave the DS screen.

"Playing a game."

"What kind of game?"

"_Donkey Kong_."

"Oh.. Sounds interesting…"

"Mm-hm."

"You know… Hazel's in the castle somewhere."

"Oh really?"

"Yup. And my bedroom door was wide open."

"Mm-hm."

"So someone _let_ her out. Have any idea who that could be?"

"Nope. Not a clue."

"Then let me fill you in on a little secret…" I moved so my mouth was right next to his ear. Taking a deep breath, my face suddenly turned beet red.

"YOU'D BETTER TELL ME WHERE MY PRECIOUS KITTY IS RIGHT NOW, OR I'LL CUT OFF THE VERY APPENDAGE THAT ENSURES THAT YOU DIE A MAN, GUT OUT WHAT LITTLE INTERNAL ORGANS YOU HAVE, GRIND THEM INTO MUSH, THEN BEAT YOU TO A PULP, AND MAKE YOU _WISH_ YOU FADED BACK INTO DARKNESS! UNDERSTAND! NOW TELL ME WHAT YOU DID WITH HAZEL!"

Axel was knocked over onto his side from the force of my outburst, his hair blown in one direction.

"What makes you think I did anything to your 'precious' kitty?"

"Because you don't like her, that's why!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play innocent with me! You were jealous of Hazel because I gave her and Momo all the attention!"

"You do the same thing with Roxas, Sora and Demyx, but you're not accusing me of getting rid of _them_."

"That's because Roxas and Demyx can create portals and Sora can defend himself! Hazel is just a poor, helpless little kitten! Who knows what could have happened to her!"

"What do you think happened? That Berserker Boy ate her for a midnight snack?"

"No! Though that _is_ a possibility…"

"You probably just left your door open by accident, and she followed you. No big deal."

"No big deal! This is a big castle!"

"Why couldn't I have gotten her something different… like a bunny? A nice, plant-nibbling, fuzzy bunny?"

"But you're the only one that would leave my door open when you leave!"

"I can create portals, Saru. I can just poof out of your room."

"And for that… I hate you for life."

"Love you too."

"What are we doing just standing here! My poor little kitty is lost in the castle somewhere! We have to find her!"

"What do you mean 'we?'"

"Because I said 'we!' Now move it!"

I grabbed Axel by the collar of his coat, and dragged him out of the room. First, we looked in the rooms of the other members.

We started with my room. Nope, she wasn't there.

Then we checked Roxas' room. Still no sign of Hazel.

Next was Larxene's room. Then we thought: "What the hell are we doing in _here_?" and left.

Next, we tried Marluxia's room… but we got lost in the vast indoor jungle. (Marluxia: "I can't help it if plants are my passion.")

Then we tried Luxord's room. Nope.

Next was Demyx's room. She wasn't there either.

We tried Axel's room next, but we were already there, so we didn't look long.

We _would _have gone into Saïx's room, but the very thought of what it looked like inside scared us, and we ended up not going in at all. (Saïx: "Be sure you _keep_ out.")

Zexion's room was too dark, and we were afraid of tripping alarms, landmines, or grenades. Zexion is a very complex and unpredictable Nobody… especially when it comes to his room… (Zexion: "I don't know whether to feel complimented or concerned by that…")

It didn't take long to search Lexaeus' room, because there wasn't much inside. (Lexaeus: "I take pride in the simple things in life.")

We went in and out of Vexen's room quickly, since it was just as creepy as his lab. (Vexen: "Hey!")

Xaldin's room was full of pointy things, so we didn't go in there either…

There were booby traps in Xigbar's room, and there was _no way _I was going in _there_ again… (Xigbar: "What?")

And we didn't even dare to go into Xemnas' room. Who knows what king of creepy things were in there… (Xemnas: "I was not amused by that remark…")

We sat on the couch exhausted from part one of our search, not finding any signs of Hazel.

"I just don't understand it… where could she possibly be?" I put my face in my hands, trying not to imagine what could have happened to poor Hazel.

After hours of searching in all of the bedrooms… well… most of them… and we didn't see tail or whisker of said kitten. Axel sighed, running his hand over his face.

"Why are we doing this? Why can't we just send some Dusks to find Hazel for us?"

He yelped as I punched him in the arm, and rubbed the area.

"They might unintentionally hurt her, that's why… My poor little baby!"

A hand slapped me in the face none too gently.

"Get a hold of yourself!"

"Sorry Axel… I guess I get a little carried away when I'm upset…"

"Boy, do I know that…"

"What was that?"

"Oh nothing, Saru…"

I glared at him immensely, but thought nothing of it. Just when the idea of finding her was hopeless, I felt something soft rubbing against my leg and my hair stood on end.

"Axel, you have exactly three seconds to remove your leg, or else I'll snap it off at the knee…"

He looked at me strangely. "That's not me, Saru… My leg's right here…" He pointed to said leg, which was across the couch from mine.

No… it couldn't be… I reached my hand down to feel what it was, and what I felt was soft fur. Looking down, I saw a familiar mass of black fur rubbing against my leg, mewing and purring.

"Hazel! My baby!" Picking her up, I nuzzled her face as she purred continuously. Demyx walked in, and as soon as he saw me cuddling Hazel, he stopped.

"So, you found her, eh?"

I stopped nuzzling.

"You knew she was here?"

"I saw her walking in while I was getting a snack. But I knew she'd go right to you, so I didn't say anything."

I resumed nuzzling Hazel's nose as she purred, and ignored Axel's stinging gaze of jealousy. Demyx noticed this and smiled as he saw Axel staring at me as I walked out of the room, with said kitten in my arms.

"Jealous, Axel?" He jumped upon hearing Demyx's question, and scoffed.

"Me? Jealous? Yeah right."

Demyx wasn't convinced, though.

"Looks like somebody has a case of the green-eyed monster…" He said teasingly in a sing-song voice, a big grin on his face.

"Looks like somebody is about to get aggressively and painfully choked…" Axel sang back, with a sickeningly sweet smile and a deadly gleam in his eye.

Demyx shrank back in terror, and grinned nervously.

"Well… you do!"

"I don't know why I'm even listening to this. I'm outta here."

Axel walked out of the room in a huff, ignoring Demyx's all-knowing grin.

"You'll see why, in time Axel… you'll see in time…"

"Huh.. Yeah right, mullet-boy.."

"Denial.. Always the first stage…"

"Shut up Demyx, or I'll set your ass on fire!"

"… Maybe not the _first_…"

"Demyx!"

...

...


	14. Quality Time With Axel

**Banshee: Here's chapter 14.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OC and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Fourteen: Quality Time With Axel

* * *

Walking down the hall, I stopped when I heard muffled mewing coming from one of the closets. Opening the door, I found Hazel in a box, hog-tied. My face turned red as a tomato, and my hands were ready to wrap around the neck of a certain red-headed Nobody.

"AXEL!"

I barged into his room, with Hazel in tow, yelping as I saw that I caught Axel in nothing but his flame-patterned boxers.

"Gah! What the hell, Saru!"

I stomped up to him, holding the still hog-tied kitten in front of his face. "This!"

He looked at the kitten with a weird look.

"What about it? It's just a hog-tied kitten."

"'What about it!' This is the third time this week! If you're going to be jealous of my kitten, why the hell did you get me the kitten in the first place!"

"I'm not jealous!"

"Oh really?"

…

- FLASHBACK -

…

_I was in the kitchen, minding my own business, when a muffled mewing reached my ears. As I tried to comprehend where the sound was coming from, I saw Axel walking in from the den whistling innocently. I narrowed my eyes at him, knowing he had something to do with it, and headed in the direction he came from. I spotted a small box in the cabinet and opened it, revealing a small bag. I untied it and looked inside, and my eyelids drooped in irritation. Reaching inside the bag, I pulled out Hazel, who was hog-tied._

_"Axel… not again…"_

…

- END FLASHBACK -

…

"Why do you think I keep doing this?"

"Because, _Axel, _I know how you tie ropes! Now I'm asking you to stop doing this to Hazel! If you don't, I'm going back home, to my _real_ home, and I'll never talk to you again!"

With that, I stomped out of the room, attempting to untie the ropes around Hazel's legs.

In my room, Momo watched as I was still attempting to untie Hazel. I saw a shadow enter my room and kneel down next to me, and another set of hands interrupted me.

"You're doing it wrong.

In no time, the ropes were untied, and Hazel stretched and ran off.

"Thanks… Axel…"

He didn't look at me, his gaze was focused on the floor.

"Look, I'm… sorry…" He may have been mumbling, but I understood what he meant.

"Does this mean you'll stop being a jerk to my kitten?"

As he sat there silent, I felt my face get hot.

"If you're not going to answer…" I grabbed him by the arm and pushed him out the door. "Then GET OUT!"

Slamming the door, I began to walk away when Axel popped out of a portal he created.

"What part of 'get out' don't you understand?"

"What part of 'I can create portals' don't you understand?"

"I hate you."

"Love you too."

"Now I'm going to say this as politely as possible.."

"If only you did that before…"

"Shut up! As I was saying: I'm going to say this as politely as I possibly can… _please_… _leave_!"

A few moments passed by silently, and I thought he was gone. But I had to make sure…

"Axel, I know you're still here."

"Fine! I'm going!"

I turned my back as I heard the door slam shut. My eyes shifted back and forth, not believing it, not for one second.

"Axel…"

"… What?"

"GET OUT!"

"Fine!"

He finally moved, and I could heard his footsteps get fainter after the door slammed again. Turning around, I found he wasn't there.

_"Finally…"_

I turned around again to go watch my TV, when I thought I heard the floor creak behind me. I looked again… nothing. Unbeknownst to me, the red-headed pyro had teleported back into my room after he pretended to leave again. _"Hm…"_

"Marco…"

"… Polo."

"AXEL!"

…

…

…

By this time, I had hit Axel numerous times, and now I was sitting on the couch with Zexion, talking to him about this past week. Since he was nodding and saying 'Uh-huh…' I thought he was listening. "And this is the third time he's tried to get rid of Hazel. He's jealous of her, I swear!"

"I just have one question…"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you talking to _me_?"

"Because you LISTEN to me!"

"And that's what has me worried…" He murmured to himself, as I began to burst into tears. Sighing, he patted me on the shoulder reassuringly.

"He's just… what do you call it? 'Jealous of the kitten's supreme cuteness?'"

"That's exactly what it is! I never would have kept that kitten if I knew he would do this!"

"Maybe you should spend a little more time with him instead of obsessing over Hazel and Momo."

"Axel doesn't mind Momo."

"Okay then. Just the cat. She has Momo to play with. My advice: spend more time with Axel. Maybe then, he'll quit with his ridiculous antics."

I hugged Zexion, ignoring the fact that the action made his hair stand on end. He never really liked hugs. He began to growl excessively, but I ignored it and continued to hug him.

"Aw, thank you Zexy, you always know what to do!"

"That's very nice… But can you please… let… go…"

"I know you don't like hugs Zexion, but you could at least deal with it for a minute or two."

"I know… you're… suffocating me… Can't… breathe…"

I finally realized what he meant and let go.

"Oops. Sorry Zex."

Zexion began rubbing his neck, trying to get his breathing back in check. Apparently, whenever I hug someone like that, I end up squeezing the air out of their lungs.

"Thanks again, Zex." He twitched when I said this, but acknowledged it with a lazy wave, then went back to his book. Now that my period was over, I was in a much more chipper mood. Now then… to the task of dealing with Mr. Pyro.

I finally reached his room, and he was playing his DS again. He still showed signs of the beatings I inflicted upon him earlier. A few bruises, a bandage or two… it just goes to show, when a girl says to get out of her room, she means it. But back to now. Walking into the room, I was behind him in an instant, looking at the DS screen. "Can I help you?" He asked, without even needing to look behind him.

"Say, Axel… uh… do you…"

Man, this wasn't easy…

"I mean… uh…"

Ah damn it… I got tongue-tied…

"Yeah?"

"Uh… do you wanna… hm…"

"Do I wanna?"

"Do you wanna… I dunno…"

"Go steady?"

"In your dreams! Not even!"

I whapped him upside the head, earning him another bruise, and ignoring his groan of pain.

"I meant…"

"If it's 'playing with dolls,' forget it. Go get Marluxia, maybe he'll play dolls with you."

"No! Wanna… go for a walk?"

He looked up.

"Does it have anything to do with your 'baby?'"

"No.. just us…"

In an instant, the DS was on the floor, and Axel was on his feet.

"Yippee, let's go! Where to?"

"Uh… I dunno… I didn't think I could make it this far.."

"… Wanna get an ice cream?"

"Okay."

"Whee!"

He grabbed my wrist, and dragged me through the portal he created, and before I knew it, we were in Twilight Town. Axel seemed as happy as hell, and the happy grin on his face was starting to scare me. "So, what kind do you want?" It took me a few minutes to acknowledge the question. Over-excited Axel sounds too much like hyper-active Demyx, and those kinds of people can wear you out. "Uh… I don't care." He walked up to the ice-cream vendor and asked for two sea-salt ice-cream pops. Giving one to me, he gave the vendor the munny and we started walking.

"So… where're we goin'?"

"That's a good question… I don't know…"

"Then what was the point of asking?"

"Usually you don't plan where you're going when you go for a walk."

"Is this one of those… 'normal people' things?"

"Yes. Yes it is.."

He thought for a moment, taking some bites of his ice cream in the process. Suddenly a thought hit him, but he took too big of a bite out of the sea-salt ice cream and he got brain freeze.

"Gaahh! Brain freeze!"

"That's what happens when you eat it too fast, stupid."

He laughed nervously while massaging his temples in an attempt to stop the pain, groaning several times.

"Aw, whazza matter? Does your head hurt?"

"Yes… could you kiss it better?"

"…"

"… What?"

"Not on your life, sport."

"Aw…"

...

...


	15. Mind Switching

**Banshee: Here's chapter 15!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OC and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Fifteen: Mind Switching

* * *

Once again, Zexion's all-knowing advice worked like a charm. After a few days, Axel stopped trying to get rid of Hazel. The green-eyed monster soon became a thing of the past. But our worries were only _just_ beginning. For the second time, Vexen had another experiment to show us. This time, it wasn't a live experiment, but a technological one. Apparently, he had a lot of time on his hands because this was the second experiment this past week.

It was a mind-switch machine, that was full of all kinds of buttons. We had to tie Demyx down so he wouldn't go crazy with his curiosity and cause a major problem, which was what he usually did. Multiple helmets were hanging from electrical wires that conducted brain waves. And guess who he wanted to test it… you guessed it… _us_…

"I really don't know about this Vexen… you're experiments are always… I don't know… risky?"

"Nonsense. This machine is perfectly safe. Any volunteers?"

Axel and I automatically pushed Demyx forward, making him squeak nervously.

"You'll do. Anyone else?"

Then I pushed Axel forward, and he shot a glare at me as I whistled innocently. Roxas, who had seen it coming, hid way in the back of the room.

"Not the best, but… alright."

"Hey!"

Vexen secured the helmets in place on Axel and Demyx's heads, the only one looking purely nervous being Demyx, as usual. Axel was just plain bored. Vexen pulled a switch, and suddenly Demyx and Axel were electrically shocked and we could literally see the colors of their brain waves mixing. Me, personally, didn't see how Axel could have _any_ brain waves at all, but the color was pretty enough. After a few minutes, Vexen switched off the machine and the two Nobodies slumped to the floor.

"So… how're you guys feeling?"

"Oh god, I feel like… a girly-man…"

"And I feel like a pervert…"

"'Pervert!'"

"'Girly-man!'"

"Why you-!"

They attempted to choke each other, but I grabbed them and smacked them both on the head.

"Okay Vexen, I think we've all had enough brain switching… Change them back now.. Please…"

Vexen flipped the switch again, and their brain waves were back to normal in no time.

"The wonderful thing about this machine, is that it can switch several minds at a time. Would all four of you like to try?"

We backed away as soon as we got the helmets off of Axel and Demyx. Soon, the helmets were forced onto our heads and we didn't have an option at all. Once again the switch was flipped and we were all shocked immensely. We were too busy getting shocked to notice the machine sparking and whirring out of control. It only stopped when the machine broke down completely, smoking and sparking. Suddenly, I felt… different… But that feeling passed when I saw myself sitting next to me, and I was on the verge of freaking out. Feeling my face and hair, I felt spikes, and I screamed.

"HOLY SHIT, I'M AXEL!"

Axel soon looked at himself, seeing small feminine hands and screamed as well.

"HOLY SHIT, I'M A GIRL!"

"GYAH! I'M A KID!"

"AAAHHH! I HAVE A MULLET!"

The four of us looked at our new appearances, with looks of pure horror on our faces. To put it simply, I was switched with Axel, and Demyx was switched with Roxas. Our minds were in opposite bodies.

"Oh god… oh god… oh god… Vexen, get me out of this so I can go take a shower!"

He checked the machine, to find it was completely shut down.

"The machine short-circuited.. I'm afraid you guys won't be back to normal until I get it fixed."

"Which will take _how_ long?"

"About… a few hours?"

I was about to strangle Vexen, but I found myself staring at my hands - actually, they're Axel's hands, but you get the idea - absolutely horrified.

"Heh heh… I can see down my shirt… cool.." Axel snickered, looking down his shirt numerous times.

"Stop it!" I exclaimed, blushing and smacking Axel in the back of the head.

He smacked my hand away.

"Hey, it's my body, I can do whatever the hell I want with it." He smirked and resumed with his antics.

I face-palmed myself, as I looked and watched Demyx and Roxas adjusting to their new appearances.

"I can't believe I have a mullet.. It itches…" Roxas groaned, feeling his newfound hairstyle numerous times.

Demyx, however, found his new switch satisfactory.

"I feel… adorable.." He said dreamily, his eyes sparkling. We had to deal with being in new bodies until Vexen fixed the machine, which was, more or less, a few hours.

Adjusting to a man's body isn't easy, even when I was sustaining my female mind. And having a pervert in my own body didn't help at all.. There were many possibilities as to what he was doing with it at this very moment…

...

...

"You did WHAT!"

"I got my hair done, is that such a big deal?"

"It's the same as yours!"

It was true. Axel got his hair done, and it looked exactly like mine; red and spiked.

"Aw come on, Axel! It'll take days to get the dye out! And I swear, if you did anything else to my body, I am going to mutilate yours in unspeakable ways, do you understand me!"

I looked again to see he had gotten a tattoo on his collarbone, that looked like a red devil's wing with black lining.

"What is that!"

"A tattoo."

"But… how did… what!"

"Lighten up, it's hot."

"Oh, we'll see how hot it is when I kill you! And why are you wearing that top! You know I don't wear that kind of stuff!"

"Why?"

"It's too revealing! Look at that!"

I pointed to the neckline.

"It's showing waayy too much cleavage! Oh, I can't tell you how much I want to… RRRGGHH!"

I stomped my foot and a huge eruption of fire flared up behind me. I looked again, and it hit me; since I was in Axel's body, I had his ability to create fire. I cracked a smile that could make the Grinch cry as Axel paled and ran in fear. It resumed with me chasing him down the hallway, shooting fireballs at him the whole way.

…

…

"I still can't believe you did that."

"Lighten up Saru."

"I want that stupid dye out of my hair before school starts. I don't want to go looking like a carrot top. And plus, you have no taste in girl's clothing. And I should know, since I'm a GIRL!"

I renounced talking to Axel until we were back in our proper bodies. At least Demyx and Roxas were doing fine during their switch. Sitting on my bed, I pet Hazel lazily, waiting for Vexen to fix that damned machine. That was when Axel came back in, his hair back to its original color.

"Is that _purple eyeliner_ you're wearing?"

I could see it clearly, as it was dripping down his face in lines from attempting to wash it off. He reached up to wipe it off, and resumed drying his hair.

"I thought you weren't gonna talk to me until we were back in our own bodies."

"I got bored."

He was about to say something when Zexion walked by reading a book. He looked inside, seeing a disgruntled Axel and an even more disgruntled me.

"What are you two doing?" He asked, closing his book.

We looked at each other, wondering if he knew about our mind switch.

Are you trying new trends, or what? Axel, you look terrible. Try not to overdo it, the switch is only temporary. Like the tattoo, though."

With that, he reopened his book and walked away leaving Axel and me stunned.

"I guess he did know after all…"

…

…

Finally, Vexen had finished fixing the machine. He placed the helmets on our heads and re-switched us two at a time. First he switched Demyx and Roxas, who were thankful to be back to their original selves. Then Axel and me. The switch was quick, and painless as we were back in our own bodies in a flash. After being back in our own bodies, we proceeded in purifying ourselves of the other's influence. As in, we all took a complete, sterilization shower. When we all came out, we were red from scrubbing ourselves so hard. The dye in my hair was finally completely out, and the eyeliner was gone. But no matter how hard I scrubbed during my shower, that tattoo never came off…

...

...


	16. Nobodies plus School equals Disaster

**Banshee: I'm on a role today! Here's chapter 16!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I only own my OC and the plot. So no sue.**

* * *

Chapter Sixteen: Nobodies plus School equals Disaster

* * *

The first day of school. If that meant being away from certain Nobodies, for once I was glad to be there. I was going to school with Kairi, Sora, and Riku, who now lived on the mainland that was a short boat ride from Destiny Islands. That meant… ugh… _uniforms_… And uniforms are a major attack on one's individuality.. But the good thing about them was that I didn't have to waste my favorite clothes on school. Yay!

Roxas and Axel dropped me off via portal, and I set off to meet the trio. As soon as they saw me, they jumped up in excitement as Kairi ran over to me and gave me a big hug.

"So good to see you Saru!"

Riku and Sora walked up to us, but didn't attempt to hug. I noticed this.

"What's the matter? Are you guys too old for hugs? Too 'manly?'"

Riku just laughed, and Sora smiled nervously as I grasped both of them in a rib-crushing hug. A hug I like to call: the 'Hug of Doom.' Everyone fears the Hug of Doom.

"Gack… Saru.. You're… crushing us…"

"Oops.. Sorry guys…"

I let them go as they gasped for breath, leaning on each other for support. Kairi couldn't suppress her laughter at their feebleness when it came to my hugs, and it made me laugh too at the mere thought. Soon the bell rang and we walked together to the front doors of the school. There were four periods in the school day, and I shared two classes with Kairi and two with Riku and Sora. Like me, Riku, and Kairi were all in their Junior year of high school, except for Sora who was a Sophomore. It was good that we were all together. Then I might actually have someone to go to the Junior/Senior prom with me. I looked at my schedule.

First period: Gym.

Second period: Health.

Third Period: Science.

And Fourth period: History.

That meant that Kairi and me were in Health and Science together, and Riku and Sora were in Gym and History. It also meant that I finally had somebody to partner up with me for group work! Woohoo!

Today was a mixed-up schedule, so we had second period first, then first, then fourth and third. As we walked through the halls, after separating with Sora and Riku, Kairi began whispering to me so no one would hear.

"I think Riku has a crush on you Saru." She whispered with a smile on her face. I blushed, finding this hard to believe.

"What do you mean?"

"He always blushes when you're around. It's kind of cute actually. It was even his idea to get you a Keyblade. It's not hard to notice these things, you know."

"Aw, that's so sweet of wittle Wiku…" I said in a 'kissy-kissy-goo-goo' voice. "Could you give him a kiss for me, Kairi?"

She just laughed and shook her head.

"I guess that means Axel has some competition, huh?"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "Trust me, it's no competition."

Kairi and I laughed as we walked into the classroom, taking seats next to each other. The teacher walked in, introducing herself as the Health teacher. She handed out papers for us to give to our parents, and our student handbooks. Mostly what was talked about was what we would be learning in that class, and the other students were very specific about what they wanted to learn. The human body, diseases that we can get, sexual precautions, and other things I can't bring up again. Kairi and me ended up passing silly notes to each other and giggling, like school girls who were gawking at a cute boy.

The classes lasted eighty minutes, which seemed to pass by really quickly this particular day, and we were nearly disappointed when the bell rang again. Luckily, I also had science with Kairi, but that would be at least a couple hours away, maybe more. The good thing was that gym was next, which meant I would be with Riku and Sora next. I just hoped they didn't have any stupid gym uniforms…

…

- Gym Class -

...

I spoke too soon… All the girls in the gym class had to wear unbearably short - well, actually they're mid-thigh length - gym shorts as the standard uniform for phys Ed, and a form-fitting shirt. As if the wardrobe didn't make me uncomfortable enough… And all the boys wore knee-length shorts with looser shirts as their gym uniforms. Sora kept snickering at the look on my face, that is, until I slapped him one upside the head. Then it was mine and Riku's turn to laugh at him as he rubbed the sore area of his head repeatedly.

Thundering footsteps walked into the gym, and the noises echoed off the walls frightening all of us to the bone. We straightened our postures as a large burly man walked our way, surveying all the students in the line. Apparently, this man once served as a drill instructor at an army boot camp…

"As your first day of gym, we'll be doing warm-up drills. Today, we'll be playing…" He held out a good-sized red ball out from behind his back, making us all nervous. "… Dodgeball. Get into your teams!"

All of the students scrambled to the two different sides of the bleachers. The three of us were on the same team, as we preferred to be allies more than enemies. And Riku and Sora can be _really_ competitive when they're on separate sides. The teacher carted out a large bin full of balls to use to play. He lined them up along the center line and told us to go to our respective sides. He blew his whistle, and we scrambled to grab the balls then quickly running back and out of range. We were in a small huddle, making us able to see at all angles. But we had to separate, because Sora couldn't resist a challenge and charged toward the other team, dodgeball in hand. Riku ran his free hand over his face and I just shrugged, shaking my head.

"We'd better watch his backside before he gets it kicked."

"Should we really?" I asked. "I don't think he'd learn anything from this if we bail him out. You know how Sora is completely oblivious to the mistakes he makes."

Riku put a hand to his chin thoughtfully.

"You know, you do have a point.."

He looked down for a moment, and his eyes glazed over in a dazed fashion. I snapped my fingers in his face, trying to get his attention until I found out what he was staring at. The top I was wearing exposed my collar, including the tattoo Axel got when he was mind-switched with me. That was what he was staring at.

"A-hem. Riku?" When he didn't answer, I stuck my finger in my mouth and inserted it into Riku's ear, making him twitch and quiver excessively.

"Gaahh! Saru, you _know_ I hate it when you do that!"

I crossed my arms, raising an eyebrow at him as he just blushed and smiled when he realized what he just did.

"Eh heh… Sorry…"

Suddenly a ball hit him in the back of the head and the teacher blew his whistle loudly and bellowed "You're OUT!"

Grumbling to himself, Riku stomped to the side of the gym. If I hit someone successfully, Riku would be back in the game, along with the other members of the team that were in the 'dodgeball prison.' I looked around for the person that hit him, and found the culprit… Tidus! He took my glare as a challenge and all of a sudden everyone else just disappeared. Grabbing a ball, I whipped it at him as he dodged at the last minute catching the ball and throwing it back at me. Dodging it, I grabbed another ball, plus another two or three, and threw them repeatedly. He dodged most of them, but he didn't see the last one as it struck him in the head. Suddenly, everything came back and Tidus had to go to the 'prison' at the side of the gym as all of our team members, including Riku, came back into the game. He gave me a high-five as I looked at Tidus and exchanged a thumbs up with him.

The game flew by, since Tidus and Wakka were the best players on the other team, because of their experience in Blitzball. With the combined skills of Sora, Riku, and myself, we won by a landslide. Our team got extra credit for the day, while the other team had to clean up the mess. We felt bad for them, so we helped them clean up, and they swore that they owed us one. To tell you the truth, there was nothing that could ruin this day…

But in History class, I was proven wrong. Sora, Riku, and I walked into the room and sat down in the desks. Riku sat in front of me, and Sora sat on my left side.

"You look familiar, beautiful… have we met before?"

I recognized that voice…

Looking at my right, I saw a familiar red-head in a uniform with a tell-tale smirk on his face.

"A-Axel! W-What're you doing here!"

I felt a tap at my shoulder and turned around to see Roxas who smiled and waved. Looking around further, I saw Demyx sitting next to Roxas.

"We enrolled here, so we can be in the same school as you, and we have all the same classes. We're gonna be together for the whole school year."

A look of pure horror appeared on my face as Riku and Sora inched their desks away to a safe distance. And for a good reason…

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

My safe haven suddenly became my worst nightmare...

...

...


	17. Rivals for Affection

**Banshee: Here's chapter 17! Sorry it took so long.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OC and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Seventeen: Rivals for Affection

* * *

Seriously, to tell you the truth, I felt like disappearing when Axel, Demyx, and Roxas came to my school. To put it simply, I wanted to disappear straight through the floor so no one could see how mortified and embarrassed I was. As soon as the teacher was done with their introductory lecture and class assignment, I dragged the three of them out of the classroom by their ears.

"What the HELL are you guys doing here!"

Sora and Riku followed me out, almost feeling bad for the poor unfortunate Nobodies that dared to cross me.

"Well, uh…" Demyx stuttered. "You see, uh…"

He saw my accusing glare and went into a nervous breakdown. "Okay, okay! We're here because the castle is _so_ boring when you're not around… The other members are… well… not that keen on 'fun.' You understand, don't you? You're not mad at us, are you Saru?"

I crossed my arms. "That depends… Whose idea was it?"

Both Roxas and Demyx pointed to Axel, who squeaked nervously as my eyes turned to angry slits. I would have strangled him, were it not for the fact that we were in school. Otherwise, his Nobody goose would have been cooked.

"Besides," Demyx added. "we we couldn't stay away from our bestest friend, even if we tried."

My expression softened when he looked at me with those big, sparkly puppy-dog eyes. I didn't call Demyx the 'cute and cuddly one' for nothing, you know. I sighed in defeat.

"Okay, you can stay."

At this statement, Demyx squealed in excitement and hugged me tightly, completely oblivious to the jealous glares coming from Axel and Riku.

"Yay! Thank you Saru! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

A lot of times, Demyx is like a puppy. Whenever his master (or in this case, best friend, which is me) is gone, he usually follows them everywhere.

"You can stay, just as long as you don't cause any trouble, okay? That goes for you guys too." I pointed to Roxas and Axel and they, and Demyx as well, nodded with fervor. Sora picked a good time to butt in.

"What's next?"

I looked at the schedule, and saw nothing after history. "I think it's time for us to go home."

Demyx whined and slumped over.

"Aww, but we just got here! We have to go already?"

"We're going back on Monday, Demyx."

He piped back up, smiling again.

"Really?"

"You actually _want_ to go to school? What's wrong with you?"

"But this is the only time I can see my bestest fwiend…"

He looked at me with those puppy eyes again.

"Demyx… I live at the castle, you see me all the time.. Doofus."

"Oooohh."

"I guess that means we're going back to the castle."

Axel created a portal, and signaled to step inside, but Kairi stopped me.

"Aw, don't go just yet! Let's go to the island and hang out for a while. Just the seven of us! Come on… please?"

"Yeah, Axel. Can't friends hang out after school?"

Axel couldn't resist my puppy eyes either, and sighed. He closed the portal and followed us out the door.

…

…

…

We rode out on a boat to go to Destiny Island, and were sitting on the big palm tree. Sora, Riku and Kairi were reminiscing about when they were younger, they would hang out there all the time. Kairi saw a Paopu Fruit and picked it off of the tree and tossed it to Riku, who didn't expect it and it hit him in the head.

"Huh?"

He picked it up and looked at it, with a confused look on his face.

"What's this for?" He asked, looking at Kairi. Sora caught on and grinned evilly, since Kairi told him about Riku's little 'secret' too.

"You know you wanna try it out, Riku." He teased, prodding at Riku's ribs with his elbow. Riku narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"What are you getting at?"

"Isn't there a 'special someone' you want to share it with?"

"What're you talking about?"

Sora wasn't fooled. He grabbed the fruit from Riku and put it in my face, still wearing that cheeky grin.

"Hey Saru."

"Hm?"

"Riku wants to know if you want to share this Paopu Fruit with him."

Riku began to panic, and tried to grab the Paopu Fruit back from Sora, but he held him back.

"Don't listen to Sora! He's lying!"

He frantically began reaching over Sora's shoulders to try and get the fruit back. But his efforts were in vain.

"Really now?"

"Yup."

"Hm… Sorry. I'm not hungry."

Both Riku and Sora fell off of the tree and landed on the ground with a 'thud' at my unexpected answer. Apparently, they didn't know that I had no idea what the Paopu Fruit was used for.

"Talk about 'oblivious…'" Roxas whispered to Demyx, who put a hand to his mouth to stifle his snickering.

To everyone, it was apparent that Sora was exploiting Riku's crush on me and teasing him about it. It must have been revenge for Riku teasing him about his crush on Kairi. He snatched the Paopu Fruit from Sora and put it in his pocket, smacking the brunette in the back of the head.

"Ow! Come on Riku, you know I'm just messing with ya!"

"Right, Sora."

"I'm serious!"

"Yeah. And I'm Mickey Mouse, king of Disney Castle."

"You are?"

We all stared at Demyx, who was serious in asking this question, his face beaming with curiosity.

"He was being _sarcastic_, Demyx…"

"Oohh…"

Axel eyed the situation carefully, not saying a word, merely observing. Was this true? Did Riku _really_ want to share a Paopu Fruit with _his_ Saru? Inconceivable! He made a mental note to keep an eye on Riku for any - quote en quote - 'suspicious' behavior. That meant the green-eyed monster was back, and his target: Riku. The completely innocent, Keyblade wielder from the darkness. Well… not all that innocent… he has his moments where he gets unconscious perversion. It's a guy thing.

"So.. Riku…"

Riku straightened up when I said his name, showing that he was willing to listen.

"Yeah?"

"It was your idea to get me a Keyblade for my birthday, correct?"

"Uh… yeah…"

He began to unconsciously sweat, blushing slightly. Axel, who was watching, made note of this, his eyes narrowing.

"Thanks Riku. That was really sweet of you."

He was completely unprepared for what happened next. I leaned over and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, as his blush darkened a few shades and spread over his entire face. Axel's hair was standing on end as he was hissing like an angry cat, with Roxas and Demyx hanging onto him to keep him from tearing poor Riku to shreds.

"Um… uh…" Riku stuttered, completely embarrassed. "Y-You're welcome, Saru…"

He felt completely embarrassed, and he sent accusing glares at Sora and Kairi who caused his embarrassment. But he was happy nonetheless. Any guy would be happy to get a kiss from the girl he was crushing on. That blush just wouldn't leave his face, though. He didn't even notice Axel, who was twitching, angry as hell.

…

…

We got back to the castle, and Axel spent the whole time hovering over me. At first, I didn't know why he was acting like this, but I remembered what happened with Riku and finally understood why. He now discovered Riku's crush on me, and was being extra jealous; even more so than he was with Hazel. I know that old saying 'all is fair in love and war,' but Axel tends to take things like that on a whole other level… love and _all-out_ war. I could literally see the burning anger and jealousy in his eyes.

…

- A Few Days Later -

…

Like I said, the next few days were like a love war. Every time we got together with Kairi, Riku, and Sora, Axel would go overboard and compete with Riku for my attention. Sheesh, jealous much? Maybe hanging out that day at Destiny Island wasn't such a good idea. If I knew it would come to this in the beginning, I wouldn't have suggested hanging out there in the first place. But I can't help liking the fact that there are two guys rivaling for my affection. I guess you can say that's a girl thing.

"Hey you guys. Sorry we're late, ol' Mansex had us clean the hallway floor. Momo and Hazel made a mess, and he made us clean it up."

"That Xemnas, huh? I swear, he's such a nag."

"I know."

The whole time Kairi, Sora and I were talking, Riku and Axel shot icy death-glares at each other.

"Come on, you guys, isn't 'enough' enough?"

"It's not _my_ fault, Roxas. Axel's the one that's so possessive!"

"What! 'Possessive!' Me!"

They growled at each other, like dogs about to get into a fight. In fact, the only things they were missing were collars and leashes. Sora and Kairi held onto Riku, while Roxas and Demyx were holding onto Axel. I didn't know about everybody else, and I bet they were thinking the same thing, I definitely thought that enough was enough. And a few days of love war was definitely enough. I grabbed them by the backs of their heads and smacked them together, earning a couple yelps in both surprise and pain.

"Both of you stop it! If you don't quit fighting, I'll never talk to either of you again, plus, I'll take back everything nice I ever said to, and about, you! Understand!"

Everyone stared at me, my screaming having gotten everyone's attention.

"I'm out of here.." I stomped out the door, slamming it in the process. But I remembered that I let one of them borrow my phone, so I stomped back in.

"I want my phone back." I held my hand out, waiting for one of them to hand me my phone back. Axel reached into his pocket and took out the phone, putting it in my hand. "Thank you."

"I thought you weren't talking to us."

I twitched involuntarily, resuming my stomping to the door. Stopping at the door, I pointed at them menacingly. "As of now, I am refraining from speaking to you two until you stop fighting!"

"What are you doing right now?" Axel asked cheekily, as my hair stood on end.

"GGGRRRR!"

I slammed the door, but found myself face-to-face with numerous clothing articles.

"Uh… Saru… that's the closet…"

Reopening the door, I headed for the correct one, slamming it three to four times really hard, before slamming it one final time. This action left the others confused.

"She's gonna be mad for the rest of the day, isn't she?"

"Yup."

…

…

I was spending the time, plucking petals off of one of Marluxia's flowers, much to his chagrin, when my door creaked open and two heads poked inside. They gulped nervously, and cleared their throats in an attempt to get my attention. When I acknowledged them with an icy glare, they shrank back.

"What do you two want?"

They cautiously stepped inside the room, hands behind their backs, their feet shuffling.

"Um… Saru… we want you to know that… we're sorry for what happened…"

I raised my eyebrow at them to show my interest, and that they had my attention.

"And we also want to know if you want to…"

"If I'd want to what?"

"If you wanted to…"

"…"

I raised my other eyebrow.

"If you would go to the prom with me!" They exclaimed in unison. Looking at each other in pure shock at the fact that they said the same thing, at the same time, I cracked an amused smile.

"You don't say…" They both nodded feverishly, which said that they meant what they had said about the prom. "Well… We'll just have to see about that…"

Their heads drooped.

"But I will keep it in mind, and consider it…"

Their heads popped back up, hopeful looks on their faces.

"… _But_…"

Their faces began to lose their color.

"If you continue to fight, I won't go with either of you, and I will go with Demyx. But if you can behave yourselves, and try to be friends, I _will_ consider your offers. Do we have a deal?"

They straightened their postures and nodded furiously, seeming eager and enthusiastic about this idea. "Yes ma'am! We will try!"

I smiled knowingly; I now had the two of them wrapped around my little finger, and boy, did it feel good…

...

...


	18. Awkward Phase of Diaper Days

**Banshee: Here's chapter 18. Enjoy**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I only own the plot. So no sue.**

* * *

Chapter Eighteen: Awkward Phase of Diaper Days

* * *

The third day of school, and Axel and Demyx pick this time to turn into babies! Of all things, it had to be babies! First things first, before you get all confused and ask "what the hell are you talking about," here's how it happened. It was yesterday…

Once again, a new experiment had shown itself. It was supposed to reverse a person's age, but this time it got out of hand. The machine went haywire and struck Axel and Demyx, and a puff of smoke hindered out eyesight. When the smoke cleared, we found a miniature Axel and Demyx, with their Organization clothes in a puddle around them.

"What the hell happened! I thought you said nothing could go wrong!"

"I did say that! I didn't say that an experiment isn't without its risks."

"It wears off, right?"

"Yes, but…"

"There's a catch, isn't there…"

"Affirmative. Luckily, this is a temporary reversal, and it should wear off in a few days."

"What do you mean by 'a few days?'"

"About, three to four…"

"DAYS!"

"Yes, days! Age reversal is very complicated!"

"And if it doesn't wear off?"

"Then they'll be remain as babies and go through their growth cycle."

"If you weren't already non-existent, I would have killed you by now…"

"I am aware of that…"

Roxas and I picked up the little Nobody infants and carried them out of the room, to try to find out what we were going to tell the teachers the next day.

…

…

"They're not gonna believe us, Saru…"

"They'll have to if it explains why Axel and Demyx won't be here for a few days."

"Why can't we just tell the truth?"

"You know teachers. They would believe us even if we told the truth."

"Where are they anyway?"

"I left them with Zexion."

"Are you sure he'll be okay with those two?"

"Absolutely. Zexy can handle anything."

…

…

"Axel! Stop chewing on the sofa!"

Zexion grabbed the mini pyro as he attempted to chew on the couch, attempting to pull him off. But he was holding on so tightly it was like pulling a cat off of the floor with its claws imbedded into the rug. He looked to see Demyx attempting to put one of his books in his mouth.

"Demyx no! That doesn't go in your mouth!"

He hastily pulled the book from the toddler's hands, as his eyes got all teary and he began to cry.

"Oh crap.."

Zexion took out a rattler out of nowhere and held it in front of Demyx's face, shaking it as it made it's rattling noise. Demyx began to giggle and took the rattle, shaking it excessively. Axel's eye twitched in jealousy as he hobbled over to the mini water-manipulator, snatching the rattler from his hands. The blonde began to cry again, and Zexion put the little pyro in time out, giving the rattle back to him. As he walked away, a stream of fire whizzed by his head as he glared knowingly at Axel, who was trying to look innocent. It narrowly missed Demyx, who summoned a stream of water shooting it at the pyro. The stream hit Axel in the head, soaking and weighing down his spiked hair. A battle ensued, with the toddlers shooting fire and water at each other, Zexion in the middle of it all.

"Why me? WHY!"

…

…

"I can only imagine…" Roxas mumbled sarcastically. First, second, and third period had already passed, and we headed to History to explain to our teacher.

"You need me to excuse Axel and Demyx for a few days?"

I nodded feverishly, and the teacher crossed his arms, adjusting his glasses.

"And why would I do that?" He asked suspiciously, waiting for my excuse.

"You see.. Demyx got an allergic reaction from dinner last night…" I looked around to make sure no one else was listening before whispering, "He's allergic to tofu."

"Tofu?" The teacher raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, sir. It gives him horrible stomachaches, nausea, and he vomits and gets dry-heaving whenever he accidentally eats tofu. It also makes him break out in horrible, itchy, hives, and he gets massive migraines…"

"… And Axel?"

"Demyx gave him some of his nausea and vomiting."

"I see…" From his tone, I knew he probably didn't believe me at all. "And how long with they be gone?"

"We're trying to keep him home until he feels completely, one-hundred percent well. Which should be, in about, three to four days. Maybe longer."

He sighed, and rubbed his temples, before replying, "All right, I'll do it, but you will be responsible for giving them their makeup work for the days that they miss."

"Yes sir!"

He sighed exasperatedly, and walked over to the chalkboard, writing down today's assignment. I walked over to Roxas, giving him a triumphant smile, and he was surprised that it actually worked. I mean, come on. _Who_ is allergic to _tofu_? _Tofu_? There may be people that are, but I'm not getting into that.

I spent the whole day literally worried about those two, checking the clock every five seconds.

"Chill Saru… they're gonna be fine."

Roxas put a hand on my shoulder from behind me to calm me down, but I was as tense as a rock. Even the jokes that Riku and Sora were telling each other during class couldn't take my mind off the reality of the situation. There was no telling what kind of trouble two Nobody babies could get into. Tapping my fingers against the desk feverishly, I waited for the final bell to ring so I could go see if Axel and Demyx were okay. I mentally slapped myself, thinking, _"Why do I suddenly care so much? I never used to before…"_

Then it hit me that since the two were turned into babies, my maternal instincts were beginning to kick in, and my instincts as a female made me unable to resist the helplessness of an infant, no matter how annoying they were as a grown person. And I'm not talking about Demyx, either. As I was contemplating what I should do, the shrill ringing of the bell jerked me out of my thoughts.

"Saru. You okay?"

"Yeah, you kinda spaced out."

"It's nothing… really…"

As I walked away from Sora and Riku, a grimly worried look spread across my features, and Roxas noticed this. He summoned a portal, and we both walked in, not saying a word.

When we returned to the castle, Axel, Demyx, and Zexion were on the couch, asleep. The larger Nobody's arms were draped around the infants, who were resting their heads on his legs, curled up in their little blankets. Upside-down on his lap, was a book, whose cover read '_Mother Goose_.'

"Looks like Zex got his work cut out for him."

Roxas took the time to revel in how special this moment was. I myself, however, took the time to take advantage of this opportunity. So I went and got my camera. There was _no way_ I was going to miss a photo opportunity like this one. And it was adorable as hell, which was another reason I wanted to take a picture. Taking the picture quickly, the flash made Zexion stir and open his eyes. I instantly hid the camera, smiling as the drowsy Nobody rubbed his tired eyes.

"Have fun Zexy?"

He grumbled incoherent words, before he decided to speak normally.

"You try babysitting these two. They're little balls of energy, and I don't think I could take another day."

I picked them up in my arms as they curled up, adjusting themselves and getting comfortable.

"I should take these two to bed. Want me to tuck you in too, Zexy?"

He looked at me flatly and mumbled a 'no thanks,' trudging out of the room stretching his stiff legs in the way to his bedroom.

I decided to keep them in my room with me, since I would be able to keep a closer eye on them. Taking out a moderately-sized shoebox, I stuffed it with empty pillowcases, lining the edges with some more cases. Rolling some up to create pillows, I set them inside the box and set them inside, watching them snuggle up against each other. I took another picture, one reason for blackmail purposes, and the other for my own. I had to admit; they were cute. Setting the - now slightly heavier - box onto the floor, I got into my own bed, watching Hazel step into the box with the toddlers. She laid down, curling up around their feet. Momo also took a spot by the box, as if they were both attempting to protect the little helpless infants from danger. I took a picture again, because it was just too cute to miss. Putting the camera securely into the drawer, I fell asleep, but not before thinking about what would happen if the age reversal never wore off. But, I guess I could get used to non-perverted Axel, and super-cuddly Demyx… maybe just for a little while longer…

…

…

A sharp crying jolted me out of my sleep, and I looked at the clock to read one o'clock in the morning. Groaning, I went to see which of the infants were crying. Sure enough, it was Demyx. Axel was curled up on the other side of the box, still sleeping. I picked Demyx up, careful not to wake Axel, and rocked him gently, attempting to calm him down. He still cried, and I was lost on what to do. _"A lullaby might work… He _is_ a baby, after all…"_ I sang the only lullaby I knew by heart…

"_Baby mine, don't you cry,_

_Baby mine, dry your eyes._

_Rest your head close to my heart,_

_Never depart, baby of mine..._"

Demyx's crying became softer and softer, as he looked up at me with teary eyes.

"_Little one when you play,_

_Don't you mind what you say._

_Let those eyes sparkle and shine,_

_Never a tear, baby of mine..._"

His crying stopped, and I wiped his remaining tears away gently.

"_If they knew sweet little you,_

_They'd end up loving you too._

_All those same people who scold you,_

_What they'd give just for_

_The right to hold you._

_From your head to your toes,_

_You're not much, goodness knows._

_But you're so precious to me,_

_Cute as can be, baby of mine..._"

Demyx's eyes drooped, as he slowly fell back to sleep, much to my relief. I suddenly thanked my good memory, and gently set Demyx back into the box, covering him in his little blue blanket. Smiling at the content smile on his face, I tiptoed back to bed, looking back to make sure that he was asleep. Getting back into bed, I fell back to sleep in a matter of seconds.

…

…

I awoke abruptly after having a small stream of water poured on me. Jolting upward, I saw Roxas holding both Axel and Demyx, who were giggling.

"Why do you guys feel the need to do this to me?"

Roxas just smiled, and the two infants in his arms continued to giggle.

"Time to get up, Saru. We don't want to be late."

I finally remembered that it was the school week again, and rushed to get ready. Before we stepped through the portal, I asked Roxas, "So who did you leave them with?"

"I left them with Marly."

"You sure he can handle it? He's a plant expert, not a baby expert."

"I left him instructions, he should be fine."

As we stepped through the portal, we had no idea how chaotic it was going to be at that castle when we got back…

…

We arrived at school, and Kairi, Sora, and Riku asked us how everything was going. We haven't told them about what happened to Axel and Demyx yet, but I think they had an idea…

"Speaking of Axel and Demyx… what happened to them?"

Roxas and I looked at each other warily.

"Um… Demyx got an allergic reaction from eating tofu. He gets horrible vomiting and hives, and he gets migraines. He even gave them to Axel. So we're keeping them at home until they're better."

From the looks they were giving us, they weren't believing it for a second.

"Okay… Another experiment of Vexen's went haywire and it turned them into babies…"

"There. Was telling the truth really that hard?"

"You have no idea…"

…

"Uncle Marly, I hafta go potty!"

"Huh!" Marluxia looked down from watering his flowers to see Demyx jumping up and down excessively.

"You have to… what?"

"I hafta go potty Uncle Marly! I gotta go!"

"Uh…" Marluxia was at a loss for words, as he tapped his chin nervously, completely confused, as he never had to deal with a small child before. He hastily picked Demyx up, and ran to the nearest member, a.k.a. Larxene. "Larxene! Larxene!" The female Nobody looked up from painting her nails to see Marluxia running into her room carrying a small Demyx.

"I need help!"

"I gotta go potty!"

"You want me to…"

Marluxia pleaded with his eyes for help.

"Oh no. There is _no way_ I'm potty-training that miniature beatnik!"

"But Larxene!"

When she didn't answer, Marluxia's head drooped. She looked back at him, suddenly feeling bad, took Demyx from him. "All right.. But _just this once_, understand?" Marluxia's face beamed as he nodded enthusiastically. "All right… let's get this over with…"

…

They ran out of the bathroom, frightened beyond belief.

"I never want to do anything like that again!"

"I'm scarred for life!

…

…

It seemed as thought the school days kept going by so quickly, minute-wise. All that was left to do was to see how Marluxia made out with watching Axel and Demyx. When the bell rang, we went to the castle so quickly, we didn't get to say goodbye to Sora, Kairi, and Riku. Upon arriving, we found the toddlers running around the room with an exhausted Marluxia on the couch. He acknowledged us with a grumble, and we knew he didn't handle it well.

"So, how was your day?" I asked, almost out of pure sarcasm.

He glared at me, his eyes angry, irritated, and exasperated slits.

"_Never_… _again_…"

"Aw, whazza matter, did the wittle babies wear you out?"

"I saw things… things that completely scarred me…"

"So did I, and that was just being around insane people like you."

He glared at me.

"I didn't realize that watching a couple of little children was so hard for _big_, _strong_ guys like you."

"It is when they're Axel and Demyx."

"No wonder everyone in the Organization calls you 'queer.' You act like such a girl, and you can't handle even the simplest of tasks."

"Babysitting those two is anything but 'simple!' And I am not queer!"

"You're not? Let's see… your room is covered from ceiling to floor with plants and flowers, your hair is pink, everything you do explodes in petals, and, like I said before, you act like a girl. Are you sure you're not? Because that screams 'queer' to me…"

"I AM NOT QUEER!"

"!"

"SHUT UP!"

"Marly's queer! Marly's queer!"

"Quit it! You're starting to sound like Xigbar!"

I put a hand on his shoulder, and tapped it reassuringly. "Don't worry Marly, you're the most manly man that ever was to be manly. I mean, it takes a _real_ man to appreciate the beauty of plants, doesn't it?"

"Yeah… I suppose you're right…"

"Good, now why don't you get some well deserved rest, hmm? I'll have Naminé watch them tomorrow, okay? After all, a man has no experience whatsoever when it comes to children."

"You're right… Goodnight, Saru…"

"G'night Marly."

As he walked away, Roxas walked up to me and whispered, "You didn't really mean all that, did you?"

I shook my head.

"No. But it sure did make him feel better, didn't it?"

Roxas sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "So you're leaving them with Naminé tomorrow?" I hoisted the two Nobody infants into my arms, and smiled.

"Yeah. I thought I should leave them with someone more competent with children."

"I hope you know what you're doing, this time…"

"Don't worry Roxie, I do."

…

…

The next day, as I said, I left them with Naminé . "Are you sure you'll be able to watch them?" She smiled and closed her sketchbook. "Of course. After all, if you can deal with these two when they're grown, you can certainly put up with them when they're infants."

I shook my head again, slowly.

"How did you put up with the Organization for so long?"

"Pretty much the same way you did. Now go to school. I'll keep an eye on these two."

We took her word for it, and went to school.

…

It was gym class, and the class was playing hoop. Riku, Sora, and I were on a three-person team, shooting hoops as we were partaking in conversation.

"So, how are Axel and Demyx doing?" Riku asked as he dribbled the ball, passing it to Sora.

"I don't know," I answered, preparing for Sora's pass. "So far, everyone I left them with wasn't able to handle them. So I left them with Naminé this time. I figured she would be a better choice to watch them."

I caught the ball as Sora passed it to me, and made a move for the hoop. Taking a shot, I was too caught up in our talk to care that the shot missed.

"How much longer are they going to be babies?"

Riku caught the ball and took a shot, also too caught up to notice that the shot was a success. He caught it again and passed it to Sora.

"I don't know much about that either. Vexen said this should be the last day. It should wear off in a few hours, if we're lucky."

"What does that mean?" Sora asked as he caught Riku's pass.

"It means that if it doesn't wear off, they'll stay babies and grow up the hard way."

Sora fumbled on his feet and the ball was knocked loose from his grasp. I quickly recovered it and took a shot, and it went into the hoop. "That doesn't sound good."

We stopped to catch our breath.

"I know."

The teacher blew his whistle, signaling class was ending, and we went to our respective locker rooms to change. We met up again before the bell rang, and continued our conversation.

"Are you sure leaving them with Naminé was a good idea?"

"Of course," I said, grabbing my bag and slinging it over my shoulder. "Naminé is a better choice than anyone else in the Organization. So far, whenever I left them with another Organization member, it ended in chaos. And besides, Naminé would be a better choice than any of them. They have no experience whatsoever with kids."

"And Naminé does?"

"At least she'll be able to handle them without being driven insane."

"Hm… Good point…"

Meeting up with Roxas for History class, we further discussed the situation. There was indeed the possibility of Axel and Demyx returning to normal. But then there was the possibility of them remaining infants and growing up the hard way. The four of us sat in class, twitching as we looked at the clock constantly. Come the end of the day, we looked like nervous wrecks. And I couldn't help but think of what would happen if Axel and Demyx didn't return to normal. At least I wasn't the only one; none of us could focus on the task at hand in class.

Upon arriving back to the castle, Roxas and I immediately went to check on Naminé . We burst into the room and, to our complete surprise, found Axel and Demyx laying on the floor drawing, quiet as can be. They noticed us and jumped onto their feet, taking their drawings with them to show to us.

"Look Auntie Saru! I drew a kitty!"

Demyx held up a picture of a kitty, and Axel held up one of a dog.

"And I drew a doggie!"

We looked around the room and found numerous drawings, most of which were poorly drawn, but hey, they're little kids. It's not like they're Vincent van Gogh, or Picasso. "Is this what they've been doing all day?"

Naminé smiled. "Uh-huh. They were really good today."

"Let me see if I can understand this… If we leave them with anyone in the Organization, it results in chaos. But when we leave them with Naminé , they're little angels? Okay… _now_ I'm confused…"

"I'm just good with children, is all.."

At that moment, Axel and Demyx suddenly acquired a growth spurt. We turned around and saw the two of them sitting side-by-side, and naked no less, because their clothes ripped when they grew so suddenly. I screeched and covered mine, Naminé 's, and Roxas' eyes as they both noticed this and screamed covering themselves.

"Why the hell am I naked!

"And why do I feel like my brain was left on the 'dumb' switch for the past few days?"

"It's been left on the 'dumb' switch for your entire life, moron."

Axel glared at me, and I threw him and Demyx their clothes. We left for a few minutes to allow them to get dressed, and they walked out, fully clothed. Luckily, they didn't remember what had happened the past few days. The only ones that knew were me, Sora, Riku, Kairi, Naminé , Roxas, and, of course, Vexen. Of course, Zexion, Marluxia and Larxene knew also, but they promised to keep the fact that they knew a secret, due to exhaustion and trauma that they experienced. Saïx somehow found out, but I managed to 'convince' him to keep quiet about it. What did I have to do? Do his chores, and wait on him hand and foot for the next month. And… he wanted me to make him some cookies… Ever since I first brought them, everyone in the Organization, including him, went nuts over them. At least the other four members that knew agreed to keep quiet for nothing… It took us hours to accurately explain what had happened while they were babies.

Axel suddenly grew smug, and Demyx was horrified.

"So… You were… _concerned_ for us? For me? And I thought you didn't care…"

I crossed my arms and glared at him.

"That was because you were a baby. And my maternal instincts as a female would not allow me to ignore the helplessness of an infant, no matter how annoying the person was as a grown person."

Axel shrank back.

"But… I had to admit it… you were…"

I muttered quietly so he couldn't hear.

"You were cute…"

He heard it despite my efforts, and smirked. "What was that? I was… _cute_? Aw, that's really sweet of you, Saru…"

I cringed as he wrapped his arms around my neck. Everyone cringed as they heard me smack him upside the head, followed by a punch that left a bump.

I liked you better as a baby!"

Everyone just sweat-dropped as I stomped away, leaving Axel on the floor.

"Sweet, sweet normalcy…"

Roxas scoffed at Demyx's statement.

"Whatever 'normal' is…"

...

...


	19. Super Spooky Halloween pt 1

**Banshee: Here's part one of the Halloween chappie. It took me a long time to work on this. Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I only own the plot. So no sue.**

* * *

Chapter Nineteen: Super-Spooky Halloween

Part One

* * *

October 31st. A day when kids would dress up in costumes and go from house to house, collecting candy in a form of celebration called: 'trick-or-treating.' Apparently, a holiday never heard of in Castle Oblivion. That was only one of the things that made the Organization a pretty boring bunch. That, and not being very keen on 'fun.'

The Organization was at a meeting, and I was bored out of my mind. I looked at the calendar, and jumped up and down whooping when it read 'October 31st.' Halloween was here!

"Oh crap! I don't have a costume!"

Rushing out of the room, I bumped into Axel, who, apparently, had skipped the meeting and was playing hooky.

"Where's the fire, Saru?"

"I don't have time for one of your puns, Axel, I need to go get a costume!"

"A costume? For what?"

"Halloween, of course!"

From the way he looked at me, I knew I had lost him.

"'Halloween?' What's that?"

"You don't know what Halloween is?"

He shook his head.

"It's only one of the best holidays ever!"

"Really? Enlighten me…"

I ignored his bored and sarcastic tone.

"Halloween is when kids dress up in costumes and go from house to house for candy. It's called 'trick-or-treating.' And pranksters teepee houses and pull all sorts of pranks."

"You mean you get to walk around and get _free candy_?"

"_Duh_."

His face beamed and he jumped up into the air.

"Well, what're we waiting for!" Let's go get our costumes! I've gotta tell Roxas and Demyx!" He zipped down the hall at amazing speed, and I suddenly regretted ever saying anything at all. If there was one thing Axel loved as much as anything, it was candy and tricks. He was like Lock, Shock, and Barrel, older and rolled into one, minus being dead.

"What did I get myself into _this_ time?"

My only reply was Hazel purring and rubbing against my leg. I was in for a chaotic holiday…

Lo and behold, I was right. Not only did Axel convince Roxas and Demyx to take part in the holiday, he convinced Sora and Riku to come, also. And he took the liberty of buying us our costumes…

"Axel, it's good that you got the costumes, but… WHY DO _I_ HAVE TO BE SAILOR MOON!"

I was adorned in the typical Sailor Scout uniform, complete with gloves, boots, and the skirt. He had forced my hair into pigtails, which was also causing my discomfort.

Meanwhile, Roxas was dressed as a knight, Demyx was Batman, and Axel was dressed as Dracula. Sora and Riku took the liberty of making their own costumes, for fear of Axel buying them any embarrassing costumes. Riku was a devil, and Sora dressed himself as a black cat.

"Aw, Sora, you look so cute!" I cooed, playing with his fake set of ears.

He slapped my hand away, protectively covering them with his cat-paw gloves.

"You're a real prize yourself, 'Sailor Moon.'" Riku snickered, pulling on one of my pigtails.

"Don't push it, Riku…" He squeaked and backed away, due to the severe-ness of my poisonous glare. Axel handed each of us a pillowcase for the candy.

"Come on, let's go!"

"Uh… Axel?"

"Yeah?"

"Kids trick-or-treat at night… as in… in a few hours."

"Okay… we'll go to Twilight Town in a few hours, then…"

"Does that mean I can take this stupid skirt off!"

"Please do…"

"Not even in your dreams, you PERVERT!"

The others cringed as I slapped Axel in the face, leaving a smudge on his white face makeup. Added to it was a red handprint.

"Would you at least give me the pleasure of tasting your sweet blood?"

"Oh, you'll be tasting _something_ all right.." I reached behind my back and pulled out a cross. ".. This Crucifix, you half-assed pervert!"

"AAAAAAHHHH!"

He dashed behind Demyx, quivering in fear of the object I held in my hand.

"I knew this thing would come in handy.."

…

…

…

A few hours later we arrived in Twilight Town, ready and raring to go. "So…" Riku began. "Where do we start?" Sora pointed to a nearby house and exclaimed, "That one! Let's start with that one!"

…

…

A few dozen houses later, we arrived at the hole in the wall that led to the woods. Axel was about to walk through when Demyx pulled on his cape. "I don't think we should go in there. That's where that spooky mansion is…" "Don't be such a baby, Demyx." Axel snapped. "I have a challenge for everybody. We'll all go into that mansion, and the people that leave are the losers. The last person in the mansion by midnight wins… all the loser's candy!"

"What!"

"No way we're losing our hard-won candy!"

"You're on, carrot-top!"

Not wanting to lose our candy, we all agreed to Axel's challenge. We cautiously walked into the mansion, the floorboards creaking under our feet. "I heard, that this place is haunted… and… there's a ghost here…"

"Oh please, Demyx. There's no such thing as…" The open door slammed shut behind us, and we whirled around, shocked. We were all in the middle of the entrance hall, not even close to the door.

"… ghosts…"

"Uh… what was that?" Demyx was shivering and shaking uncontrollably, clinging to me like a frightened cat.

"Get a hold of yourself Demyx, it was probably just the wind." I said reassuringly, gently trying to pry the frightened Nobody off me. Sora walked over to the door and attempted to open it, but the doorknob wouldn't turn.

"… It's… locked…"

Demyx started to freak out.

"AAAAUGH! The spirit is angry! Now it'll pick us off one by one, and torture us for all eternity!" Roxas slapped Demyx hard in the face in an effort to snap him out of his little spaz moment. "Look, the doorknob might just be rusty."

"Not everything can be explained with logic, you know."

"Not everything can be resolved by spazzing out, either."

Demyx glared at Riku, who just shrugged.

"But… what if there really _is_ a ghost here?" Sora inquired. "And what if it did shut that door, and we can't get out of here?"

He began to shiver uncontrollably, his knees knocking together. We heard thunder, and looked out the window to see that it was pouring rain.

"Um… did the weather channel say it was gonna rain?" Riku asked, his voice cracking a little.

"No…" Roxas replied shakily. "It wasn't supposed to rain tonight… It was supposed to be clear skies… How could a thunderstorm get here so fast?"

"GHOST!"

Axel slapped Demyx in the face.

"There's no such thing as ghosts, you idiot!"

Demyx rubbed his face, that was now red from being hit so much. "Why do you guys have to keep hitting me?"

I slapped Axel.

"Stop hitting Demyx!"

"Roxas hit Demyx too, why don't you hit _him_!"

"Because I don't want to harm his pretty little face, that's why."

"What about _my_ pretty little face?"

"… I could care less about it."

"How can you be so cruel!"

I slapped him again.

"Deal with it!"

"_So_ not cute!"

"I have a Crucifix and I'm not afraid to use it, Mister!"

Axel quivered and hid behind Riku.

"So not cute," he whispered, shivering.

"Anyhow," Roxas said. "We should try to find a way out of here. As far as we're all concerned, this place is creepy. Let's just forget the challenge, and go home."

"I'm with Roxas on this one. Now summon up a portal so we can get out of here."

Axel raised his hand and attempted to make a portal appear, but nothing happened and we began to worry. "Something must be disrupting our powers…"

"I'm telling you, there's a ghost here."

"Give it a rest Demyx, there's no ghost!"

The thunder cracked and lightning flashed, as we shivered as it got cold all of a sudden. Demyx looked blankly at Axel, who just waved it off, saying, "That doesn't prove anything. It's just a coincidence."

The wind rattled the shudders, and the dusty, ripped drapes fluttered furiously making cracking noises, almost like a whip. All of us got chilling goosebumps as our hair stood on absolute end.

"'Coincidence,' huh?"

"This doesn't prove anything!"

"It doesn't, huh?"

"No! It doesn't! There's NO… SUCH… THING… AS… GHOSTS!"

At that instant man old vase that had been sitting on a dusty mantle, came flying across the room and collided with Axel's head, shattering into a dozen pieces as it hit the floor. Sora had jumped prior to the incident, bumping into Riku, knocking them both on the floor. Demyx screamed and hid behind me as he heard the vase shatter, holding on for dear life.

"Oh my God… Axel's dead..."

To be continued...

...

...

**Banshee: Ooooooh, suspense... I have to finish the second part.**


	20. Super Spooky Halloween pt 2

**Banshee: Here's part two of the Halloween chappie. Don't worry, I didn't kill Axel. Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I only own the plot. So no sue.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty: Super-Spooky Halloween

Part Two

* * *

Recap:

_"I'm telling you, there's a ghost here."_

_"Give it a rest Demyx, there's no ghost!"_

_The thunder cracked and lightning flashed, as we shivered as it got cold all of a sudden. Demyx looked blankly at Axel, who just waved it off, saying, "That doesn't prove anything. It's just a coincidence."_

_The wind rattled the shudders, and the dusty, ripped drapes fluttered furiously making cracking noises, almost like a whip. All of us got chilling goosebumps as our hair stood on absolute end._

_"'Coincidence,' huh?"_

_"This doesn't prove anything!"_

_"It doesn't, huh?"_

_"No! It doesn't! There's NO… SUCH… THING… AS… GHOSTS!"_

_At that instant man old vase that had been sitting on a dusty mantle, came flying across the room and collided with Axel's head, shattering into a dozen pieces as it hit the floor. Sora had jumped prior to the incident, bumping into Riku, knocking them both on the floor. Demyx screamed and hid behind me as he heard the vase shatter, holding on for dear life._

_"Oh my God… Axel's dead…"_

...

...

"Saru… is he… dead?"

"I'm not dead, you idiot!"

Axel rubbed his head, moving his hand in his line of vision, shocked when he saw tiny smudges of blood on his fingers. "I'm… bleeding?"

For once, I actually felt concerned for him. I took a look, and luckily, the vase didn't inflict a lot of damage. There was only minimal bleeding, like accidentally getting cut by a sharp object. The vase itself was most likely enough to cause a wound, not the shattered pieces.

"Looks like you lucked out. It's not as bad as it could have been.."

I took a cloth and began cleaning the wound, holding his head still with the other hand so he wouldn't squirm.

"I'm starting to think that Demyx is right. How else could that vase have flown across the room? Let alone hit you in the head."

At this, Demyx's face beamed and he smiled triumphantly as someone finally acknowledged that he was right. "See? I told you! Finally, someone believes me!"

"It takes an open mind to be able to consider many different possibilities.."

"You're so smart…"

"Don't push your luck, Demyx…"

"Sorry…"

He froze in mid-glomp, and slowly inched away, trying to decide which was scarier: Me, or the ghost.

"Scared of a _girl_? So much for the 'Dark Knight.'" Demyx glared at Riku, sticking his tongue out at him.

"Oh yeah, real mature."

"Don't encourage him, Riku…"

"Yeah. He's naïve and childish enough as it is."

"I'm right here you know!"

A creaking noise got our attention, and we turned around to see a little girl. She had her back to us, her black hair was long and straight and nestled at the top was a white bow. Wearing a white dress that fell to her knees, she stood there silently.

"Hello?"

When she didn't answer, I gently grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. Blood was streaming down her face from her eyes like crimson tears, and she carried a large skull in her small hands. Her skin was pale white. We all screamed and ran down the hallway, leaving a trail of dust. The little girl disappeared into thin air, and the skull dropped to the floor, amazingly staying intact despite its battered appearance. As we ran down the hall, we realized that we forgot our candy in the entrance hall in our fit of fright.

"What about the candy?"

"Are you nuts! There's no way I'm going back there!"

"Wait a minute! You _were_ scared, weren't you, Axel?"

"What! No! No I wasn't!"

"You screamed like a girl.."

"Thanks, Roxas.. You're the best friend ever.."

"Happy to help."

Riku took out a flashlight and waved it around, trying to figure out where we were. We were in a moderately sized room, and the furniture was busted up, as if some kind of fight happened there.

"Is that the ghost you were talking about Demyx?"

He nodded and slumped to the floor.

Sora tried to open the door, but, like last time, it refused to open.

"That little girl must've barred the door from the outside. I don't think we're gonna be out of here anytime soon…"

"This isn't how I was planning for my existence to end…" Roxas sighed, running a hand through his messy hair.

"Well, while we're here… Demyx, why is this mansion haunted anyway?"

He seemed reluctant to answer.

"Well… if you _really_ wanna know… Back… I don't know… twenty… thirty years ago? This little girl was left alone when her parents went out of town. She was all by herself, when a crook broke into the mansion. He killed her and stole every valuable item in this place that he could. Rumor has it, that when he came back for the rest of the stuff, he was never seen again. The little girl tortured and killed him and carries his battered skull with her all the time. Now, she haunts this mansion and scares away anyone who comes in, or even comes near this place. And her parents never came back. People say the crook killed them on his way out. No one really knows what happened. Now that we're here, she'll torture us 'till we die and add our skulls to her twisted collection!"

"Easy Demyx…" Roxas patted the frightened Nobody's shoulders reassuringly, but he was too scared for it to have any effect.

…

…

It seemed like we were there for days instead of hours. Riku looked at his watch and it read two o'clock in the morning.

"I've got good news for everybody.."

We all turned to look at him, acknowledging what he said.

"No one lost."

It _would_ have been good news, were it not for the fact that we were trapped in a spooky old mansion by a homicidal vengeful spirit. Everyone was trying their best to stay calm, and not freak out. Demyx was shivering uncontrollably, with Roxas and Sora attempting to calm him down. Riku sat by himself in the fetal position, rocking back and forth breathing like an asthmatic person without their inhaler. Axel, for the first time in his life, was nervous beyond belief, his eyes shifting constantly which was making me uncomfortable since I was right next to him. I seemed like the calmest person out of all of us, even though my heart was beating a mile a minute, and I felt like everyone else… _trapped_…

"Uh… Saru…"

"What is it Axel?"

"Since it's obvious that we're gonna die in here… there's something I want to say…"

I raised an eyebrow at this.

"I'm… sorry about the way I've been acting… I guess you can say I've been a jerk.."

"…" I said nothing, taking great pride in the fact that he finally admitted that, especially since he was the one that said it.

"What?"

"Go on."

"Right… and… I know I've been acting really jealous lately… I guess it's because… well.. The truth is… I…"

"Hold that thought, Axel. There's something I want to say too.. I admit it, I've been a jerk to you too. I guess… no matter what I've said… I've always… sort of… liked you…"

His face beamed. "Really?"

"Yes… really.."

"Well… as long as we're admitting things… I kind of… used your hairbrush to clean my toilet.."

"WHAT? My _favorite_ hairbrush!"

"… Was it blue with '_Hello Kitty_' on the back?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Then it was your favorite brush.."

"I can't believe you!"

"Sorry…"

"Why you..!"

I was about to hit him in the head when we suddenly realized the thunder and rain had stopped. Looking at the window closely, we were expecting clear skies. Suddenly, an image of a skull flashed in lightning and we screamed, falling backward.

"What the hell was that!"

"She's messing with our heads," Riku said, brushing the dust off his costume. "Obviously, we're not getting out of here most likely until daybreak. We'll just have to hold out until then. Let's just try to get some sleep, at least."

We only _wish_ we could have… During the course of the night, we all came down with a bad case of insomnia. None of use could sleep, no matter how tired we actually were. We were too scared of what would happen, even though none of us would admit it, to even _think_ about sleeping. The minutes were going by agonizingly slow and every time we asked for the time, only one minute would have passed. It was as if time itself would slow down in this mansion… it was very nerve-wrecking. Some of us, I doubt had any nerves left. Our time in the mansion, trapped in that room, had a profound emotional, and psychological, effect on us. Whether we were on the verge of losing our sanity, or whether we lost it in the beginning, none of us were really certain because we were all scared. Some of us began to nod off, and the idea of 'sleep' began to sound really good. I mean, _really_ good. Demyx was the first to fall asleep, and after he did, the rest of us began to nod off too. By the time I finally fell asleep, it was almost four in the morning and the rain and thunder began to calm down. The sun was going to rise soon. All of our dreams were completely blank, and we were too busy sleeping to notice the sunlight peering in through the window. Sora opened his eyes when a bright light was visible through his eyelids. He sat up, looking at the window, seeing sunlight, and he nudged Riku who groaned slapping his hands away.

"Riku!" Sora whispered rather loudly, shaking him more roughly.

"What, Sora?" Riku exclaimed in an irritated tone, not even bothering to keep quiet. Sora pointed to the window, and when Riku saw the light, he shook Roxas awake.

Then Roxas woke up Demyx.

Demyx woke up Axel.

And Axel woke me up.

Riku cautiously looked out the window, expecting another scare. Instead, there was nothing but sunshine. He looked at his watch.

"Seven thirty…"

Then the door, which had been barred shut the whole night, slowly creaked open and we sent Roxas to take a look.

"I think it's safe to come out now, guys." He said, stepping out of the room.

The rest of us followed suit as we went to the entrance hall to retrieve our nearly-forgotten candy. Upon reaching the candy, we further surveyed our surroundings to make sure nothing would pop out at us. We retrieved our candy bags and swiftly headed for the door, stepping outside into the courtyard. Getting a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach, I turned around and saw the little girl standing in the doorway, still carrying the skull in her hands. She lifted her hand and waved at us, and I saw her lips move as she said, "Goodbye."

The voice was small, but it echoed eerily throughout the grounds of the mansion. Then I saw her disappear as she closed the door. I stared at where she was standing when I heard the others calling.

"Hey Saru, come on!"

I ran up to them and they asked me what was wrong.

"Uh…" I looked at the mansion and back at the others, and shook my head, smiling. "… It's nothing."

…

…

Dropping off Sora and Riku first, we explained to Kairi what happened. It sounded just as unbelievable to her as it did to us. Then, we were en route to the Castle That Never Was. When we returned to the castle, we found Xemnas sitting on the couch reading a paper. When he saw us walk into the room, he lowered the news article he was previously reading.

"Did you have a nice time trick-or-treating?"

"Sure, it was great…" I replied sarcastically, dropping my bag of candy onto the floor by the table.

"… If you consider 'nice' as being trapped in a dusty room in an old mansion by the vengeful spirit of a murder victim all night, then yes, we had a GRAND OLD TIME!"

Xemnas picked up his paper and continued to read. "That's good."

From his tone, it didn't look like he really cared. I wanted to strangle him for undermining the situation we had been in, but I was too tired and shaken up to even think of it.

"You'd better get ready for school, unless you want to be late…"

Waving it off, I mumbled. "Not going… too tired… gonna… sleep…"

Those were the only words in the entire sentence that Xemnas actually understood. He took out his cell phone and flipped it open, finger at the ready to press a button.

"Should I call you in sick for the day?"

I nodded lazily and left the room, with Roxas, Axel, and Demyx following suit. When I reached my room, Hazel began rubbing against my leg and Momo jumped around the room enthusiastically. Patting the both of them on the head, I plopped myself onto the bed. And I fell asleep, thanking the holy body above for creating said bed.

It turns out I was right… I did have a chaotic holiday…

...

...

**Banshee: Twenty chapters! Whoo! If anyone has any ideas for future chapters, please, feel free to share them. I need to make some use of your wonderful minds...**

**Roxas: Seriously, do you even hear yourself?**

**Banshee: What? I can be maniacal if I want to...**

**Demyx: But it's scary...**

**Banshee: Aw, I'm sorry DemDem... would you do the honors?**

**Demyx: I'd love to! Please review, it would make us all happy... -puppy eyes-**


	21. Recurring Memories

**Banshee: Here's chapter 13! I'm sorry it took so long, I was suffering from a creative slump..**

**Axel: Aww... poor baby...**

**Banshee: Remove your hand or it comes off... -glares- **

**Axel: Eep... **

**Banshee: DemDem, would you do the honors?**

**Demyx: Righty-o! Banshee does not own the characters from Kingdom Hearts, or the characters mentioned from Fullmetal Alchemist. She only owns her OC the crazy plot, so pease don't sue.**

**Banshee: Thank you DemDem. Now... onward to the story!**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-One: Recurring Memories

* * *

I sat alone in my room, suddenly thinking about the first time I stumbled upon the World That Never Was. Sure, it was very odd, and somewhat… nerve-wrecking, but it was an experience that opened the door to many adventures for me. It all started a few months ago…

...

- FLASHBACK -

...

_"Great… I just_ had ___to go through that portal…" I got up onto my feet after a rather nasty fall, and looked around to see large buildings and a night sky illuminated by a heart-shaped moon. Floating in the sky was a large castle. "Maybe there's someone in there that can help me get home." Of course, that thought was overly-optimistic, but can you blame me? That's how I thought then._

_It took a few hours of searching the city for an entrance to the castle, but I finally found one and entered. The castle was much larger up close, and even larger on the inside._

_"Wow…"_

_I searched the numerous hallways and rooms, suddenly stumbling upon a room with a computer. The only problem was… did it have internet access? I would need that if I would find a map to use to get the hell out of there. I typed several keys, and the information I found had nothing to do with my situation._

_"'Kingdom Hearts?' 'Sora?' 'Keyblade?' What is all this?"_

_A shadow came up behind me, and I turned around rapidly. "Did you get a good look?"_

_That was all I heard before their hand balled into a fist. After that: darkness…_

_I finally woke up after a few hours, finding myself trapped in a cell, which was, rather roomy. And for the past few days, I stared out the barred window only seeing that moon. "Well, well, well… and I thought you'd go insane after just sitting there for a week…" I looked up and saw a figure in a black coat. He looked like all the others that had come around, but he was slimmer. "And it looks like we caught us a cute little kitten, didn't we?" From the voice, I knew it was a man. Only a man would make that kind of comment in that tone of voice… a _flirty_ tone of voice…_

_"What do you want?"_

_He shrugged his shoulders. "I just came to see how our favorite captive was doing."_

_"Ha ha. Right… very funny…"_

_"Look. I'm here to tell you that our Superior has a proposition for you."_

_I raised my eyebrow at him. "You don't say…"_

_"Yup. You want out of this cell, don't you?"_

_"… Alright… you have my attention."_

_I could literally see him smirk under his hood. "Yeah. You can have out of this cell… if… and only if… you swear to never leave the castle or the World That Never Was without an Organization member present. Other than that, you can wander the castle freely. So what do you say, Kiddo?"_

_"Don't call me 'Kid…'" I retorted irritably, an anime anger cross appearing on my head. "I don't know about this.. This whole thing seems really fishy.."_

_The figure shrugged, turning around and making a portal. "Well, if you_

_wantto stay in this cell for the rest of your life…" As he was about to step into the portal, I yelled after him, "Wait!" Sure enough, he did, and even though I couldn't see it because his back was turned, I knew he had that conniving grin on his face._

_"Yes?"_

_"I suppose being able to wander the castle freely is better than staying this this stupid cell… I accept.."_

_"Good choice, Kiddo."_

_"I told you, not to call me 'Kid!'"_

_He took out an oddly-shaped key from his pocket and inserted it into the lock. The door automatically opened and I jumped out immediately. "You got a name, then?" He asked me. I stopped hopping around idiotically, and looked at him._

_"Yeah. I'm Saru."_

_He removed his hood, revealing spiked red hair and the most gorgeous green eyes I've ever seen. Under those eyes were triangle-shaped marks colored a dark shade of purple. His face still held that classic smirk; one that meant danger._

_"Name's Axel. Got it memorized?"_

_"Yeah.. Okay…"_

_..._

_- Sometime Later In The Day -_

_..._

_I was planning on making a break for it, but Axel followed me wherever I went. No matter where I was, he was there, looking at me with that same smile. I ran down several hallways, trying to lose him. When I saw that he wasn't behind me anymore, I rounded a corner and double-checked just to make sure. Breathing a huge sigh of relief, I turned around and - to my disdain - bumped into another body._

_"Oh no… don't tell me…" I warily looked up… and was met with those green eyes again._

_"Uh… Hey Axel…"_

_"You're not trying to escape, are you?" He asked almost coyly, crossing his arms._

_I backed away from him, smiling nervously, knowing for a fact that there was no way I was getting out of this castle anytime soon._

_"Uh… No, of course not! I was just… looking for the bathroom, that's all…"_

_He raised an eyebrow at me, and I knew he didn't believe a word of what I just said. Leaning forward so he could look me in the eye, he said, "You're a_ really ___bad liar, you know that?"_

___"Well, that's what happens when you're raised in a household that upholds honesty… You're not really… good at lying…" I replied sheepishly, scratching the back of my head._

___"Well, you know what they say," Axel said, leaning back to his original height. "'the truth shall set you free.'"_

___I didn't need an IQ of eighteen hundred to know that the words he just said were pure, unadulterated sarcasm. Taking another look at him, I noticed another important factor… he was taller than me… I'm five feet, two inches. Axel, is probably bordering on six. Giving a rough estimate, I'd say he was around five-nine, or six inches total, not counting his spiky hair. Now I knew how Edward Elric always feels, compared to his - now a suit of armor - little brother Alphonse. Yes.. I know the Elric brothers. Moving on.._

_..._

_- A Few Days Later -_

_..._

_A few days went by, and I learned that I was in the dwelling of Organization XIII, a group of powerful human Nobodies, void of actual emotions. They were 'kind' enough to give me my own room, which, to me, looked like it needed some severe redesigning. It doesn't help that all their rooms look the same, you know. And one by one, I would meet the other members. Whether it was a random coincidence, or whether I was introduced, I met them._

_Axel was the first member that I met. Now I'm starting to become more comfortable around him, though I wish he would stop being so… flirty…_

_Roxas was second. Since he's Axel's best friend, it was no surprise that I met him before anyone else._

_Demyx was third. We first met when I heard him playing music on his… what did he call it? A 'sitar?' He practically fell in love with me when I complimented him and asked him to play another song. Thus, introduced… the numerous hugs I would receive for the rest of my life…_

_Then there was Larxene. I met her in the kitchen when I was trying to find something to eat. She gets scary when someone touches her Almond Joys… And I know just from watching some poor unfortunate soul try to steal them… If that doesn't damage your psyche, I don't know what does…_

_Saïx was the next person I met. I just randomly bumped into him in the hallway, and ended up following him the rest of the way. At first he didn't like me, but I started to grow on him. It was then I discovered that he and Axel couldn't stand each other._

_I met Lexaeus in a rather random way. He was in the kitchen eating some cake, when I walked in. He asked me if I liked chocolate, and when I said yes, he handed it to me and walked away. He talks to me more now, but he never used to before._

_Next was Zexion. I found him on the couch reading a book while I was watching cartoons on the television. We got into a conversation, and we began talking more and more as time went by._

_Xaldin was in the kitchen when I found him. He was busy making some sort of food article, and at first I thought it was gross. Then I discovered that he was a very good cook, aside from having a strange love for pointy objects…_

_I met Luxord, Xigbar and Marluxia at the same time, since the three of them were playing a rousing game of Poker. I watched them play, while going in-between them and seeing what cards they had, but never saying anything._

_Vexen was busy with an experiment when I met him, and he wasn't happy when I accidentally knocked over his test tubes. I made up for that mistake by helping him with a formula he was having trouble with. We - somewhat - got along ever since then._

_Last, but not least, there was Xemnas. We crossed paths rather abruptly, and to say the least, we hardly got along. More-so now, but we still hit a few road-bumps…_

_…_

_- The Next Day -_

_…_

_"Hey, Saru, want to come with us to Twilight Town?"_

_"Huh?" I looked at Roxas as he stared at me with that innocent smile on his face._

_"But I thought I wasn't supposed to…"_

_"The deal was that you can't leave the castle or the World That Never Was without an Organization member present. And that happens to be… us."_

_"Come on Saru," Demyx pleaded. "Just one visit wouldn't hurt.. Twilight Town is a really nice place."_

_I thought for a moment. "All right. I guess it wouldn't kill me."_

_With that, Axel created a portal and we jumped in and I shivered. The darkness was cold… ice cold… In a split second, we exited the portal and we were in Twilight Town. Demyx was right… it really _was ___a nice place. We spent a few hours there, playing games, eating ice cream, and… my favorite past-time… SHOPPING! Although the only things I wanted were some bracelets made from seashells, I sure did pile them on the poor Nobodies with me. Axel, Demyx, and Roxas' arms were covered by said bracelets, while I only had one or two on each arm. We were about to get some more ice cream when I saw a boy with spiky brown hair running down an alley with a duck and a dog-thing following him. Because of my curiosity, I followed them to see where they were going, leaving the three Nobodies behind._

___"So, Saru, what kind do you…" Roxas turned around and gaped when he saw I wasn't there._

___"Uh… guys?" When Axel and Demyx turned around, their eyes bugged out also._

_"She's gone?"_

_"But.. How? We only turned our backs for_ one ___second! How could she-?"_

_"Oh man, Xemnas is gonna kill us for this…"_

_…_

_- With Me -_

_..._

_"Hey! Wait up!"_

_The brown-haired boy stopped and turned around to look at me, with a confused visage. Then he brandished an odd key-shaped weapon, making the duck and the dog summon their weapons as well. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy! I just came over to say hi." He looked at me, now more confused than ever, but he lowered his weapon and it disappeared. "'Hi?' Is that why you were following us?" I nodded, and he sweat-dropped. "By the way, I'm Saru. What's yours?"_

_"I'm Sora. And these are my friends." He gestured to the duck. "This is Donald." Then he gestured to the dog. "And this is Goofy."_

_"'Sora?' Why does that name sound so familiar?"_

_"Hi there!"_

_"Hey, uh, you wanna come with us on our Gummi Ship? We go to tons of different worlds."_

_I smiled. "Sure! I forgot why I came here, anyway." I said, completely forgetting about Roxas, Axel, and Demyx._

_"Are you sure this is okay, Sora?" Goofy whispered to the brunette._

_"Yeah. How do you know she isn't a spy from Organization XIII?" Donald asked, eyeing me suspiciously._

_"Oh yeah, you can definitely tell she's a spy. You can tell by the 'evil' look in her eyes.." Sora muttered sarcastically. Almost as if on cue, I smiled innocently and gave him a little wink. "I mean, seriously.. How can someone this nice be evil? Besides… the more the merrier, right?" Donald sighed; he couldn't argue with that kind of logic. "Oh… alright… She can come…" "Yay!" I pounced on the poor little duck, planting small kisses on his head, then doing the same to Goofy and Sora. "You guys are the best! Oh, this is gonna be so much fun!"_

_They took me to where they landed their Gummi Ship, and we got in, preparing for liftoff. The ship rocketed off the ground and took off into the sky, leaving behind a trail of smoke. Axel, Roxas, and Demyx were looking for me, when they saw the Gummi Ship speed by above them, and they looked at each other grimly._

_"Was that… Sora?"_

_"Yup…"_

_"You don't think…"_

_They thought for a moment._

_"I was wrong before.. Xemnas isn't going to kill us… He's going to turn us into_

_Dusks…"_

_The three Nobodies nearly fell over onto the ground. To them, being turned into Dusks was worse than just dying. And that would surely happen if they didn't find me, and _quick_._

_"Guys, quick! Where does Sora always go?"_

_"Uh… Hollow Bastion, I think…"_

_"It's 'Radiant Garden,' now."_

_"Okay.. To Radiant Garden!"_

_With that, they summoned up a portal and quickly head to said destination._

_…_

_- At Radiant Garden -_

_..._

_The ride to the next world took a shorter time than I expected. We landed sand got off the ship, and Sora spread his arms out in a welcoming gesture._

_"Welcome to Radiant Garden, Saru."_

_I looked around, and saw a huge castle across a large barren wasteland outside of the town._

_"What's that?"_

_Sora turned to look at what I was pointing at. "That's the castle. We faced off with Ansem and Maleficent there."_

_"And Sora turned into a Heartless." Goofy added. "And his Nobody was created."_

_"And who was your Nobody, Sora?"_

_"I fought him once… He said his name was… 'Roxas…'"_

_A thought clicked in my head and I remembered the sandy-haired Nobody, and Axel and Demyx as well. And the deal I made with Xemnas a week ago._

"Roxas? I know Roxas! He's Sora's… Oh God… Oh crap, I'm in trouble…"_Sora looked at me with concern._

_ "Saru, are you okay?" He asked, putting a hand on my shoulder. I suddenly wigged out, attempting to pull out my hair._

_"Oh man, oh man, oh man, oh man! I just made a terrible mistake!" Sora looked at me like I just lost my mind. I had to explain my situation to him.. Otherwise, he wouldn't have a clue…_

_It took a couple hours to accurately explain all that happened in the past week. To say the least, Sora was surprised. "So you're living with Organization XIII?"_

_"Yeah.." When I saw the looks he, Donald, and Goofy were giving me, I put my hands up defensively. "Don't look at me like that, I'm not taking sides here, I'm neutral!"_

_"Well, we might as well go see Merlin, anyway. He said he has something really interesting to show us."_

_While we were there, Sora introduced me to Leon, Tifa, Cloud, Cid, Yuffie, Merlin, and Aerith. They were a little skeptical of me at first, but, like Sora, they grew to trust me._

_"You outta meet Riku and Kairi. They'll love you."_

_Needless to say, I felt really glad I went into Castle Oblivion. As we walked back to the Gummi Ship, a dark portal appeared and Axel, Roxas, and Demyx walked out of it._

_"Oh my God, Saru, there you are!" Demyx ran up to me and hugged me tightly, nearly suffocating me. "We've been looking everywhere for you!"_

_"We're going back to the castle now. And that means you too, Saru."_

_Sora summoned his Keyblade and prepared to attack, but I stopped him._

_"I'm going back with them, Sora."_

_He looked at me in shock, his mouth agape. "But… why?"_

_"Don't worry Sora, I'll see you again sometime. What Xemnas doesn't know won't hurt him, right?" I put a finger to my lips as a gesture to 'keep quiet.' "It'll be our little secret, 'kay?"_

_Sora nodded in understanding and I gave him, Donald, and Goofy a hug before I stepped into the portal._

_…_

_- Back At The Castle That Never Was -_

_..._

_Upon arriving back at the castle, Axel turned to look at me with his arms crossed and a stern look on his face. I saw this, and started back warily._

_"… What?"_

_"Do you have_ any _idea what would have happened if we hadn't found you?"_

_"What were you expecting? That Sora and I were going to have an orgy with the members of the Restoration Committee?" (Those of you who have played KH2 will know who I'm talking about…)_

_He raised a hand to cover his face that showed hints of pink on it, and I could have sworn that I saw a little blood leaking between his fingers._

_"You are one sick Nobody, do you know that?"_

_The only reply he had to that question was a sheepish smile. Of course, Demyx and Roxas had no idea what that little statement meant, but Roxas wasn't naïve enough to not notice Axel's nosebleed and shook his head._

_"That's not what I meant!" Axel exclaimed, wiping the blood away with his hand. "I meant that… you know… we might not ever… see you again, y'know?"_

_I noticed the growing blush on his face and smirked deviously._

_"Awww, are you beginning to care?"_

_He ignored me and made a 'tch' noise, running a hand through his hair. _

_"But…" he began. "You_ were_ just kidding about the orgy thing, right?"_

_I glared at him, and smacked him in the back of the head, ignoring his yelp of pain._

_"Pervert." I spat venomously, hitting him a few more times, each hit harder than the last._

...

- END FLASHBACK-

...

"Hey, Saru, come on!"

I heard a banging on my door and it opened to reveal Axel, casually dressed and carrying a large basket.

"It's Saturday! Our picnic's today, remember?"

I smiled, suddenly remembering, and jumped off the bed with Momo and Hazel following me. We met up with Roxas and Demyx, and jumped into a portal that they created, and I shivered; after several months… I _still_ wasn't used to those portals…

...

...


	22. No Such Thing As Bad Luck

**Banshee: Here's chapter 22. I have really nothing to say right now, since my brain is a little fuzzy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OC and the plot. So no suing please.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Two: No Such Thing As Bad Luck

* * *

Have you ever had one of those days where nothing went the way you wanted it to, no matter what you did? It's called an 'off day.'

Everyone has an off day. It's just a normal occurrence in life.

But sometimes, when coupled with bad luck, an off day can become even more off. Especially if you're a skeptical Nobody named Axel.

Axel never believed in luck, no matter what kind of luck it was. And whatever higher being that runs things wasn't about to let him continue to think that way.

It all started a few days ago…

"I can't believe he's taking so long! What could be holding him up?" I asked no one in particular, looking at my watch several times, tapping my foot excessively.

The bell was about to ring, and there was still no sign of the pyromaniac redhead. We were all starting to question whether or not he died sometime during second period. Just when we thought he wasn't going to show up, we saw him running down the hallway like the devil was chasing him.

"Well, speak of the devil," I muttered almost sarcastically, as he screeched to a stop, heaving like an asthmatic. "What took you so damn long, Axel?"

He held his hand up as a hint that he wouldn't be able to speak until he could breathe. Once he regained his breath, he was able to enlighten us on the subject of why he took so long.

"Look, I'm sorry I'm late, but someone spilled their coffee on me, I got hit in the head with a Frisbee, I stepped in gum, and somebody thought it was funny to put a whoopee-cushion in my chair."

"Wow, Axel," Riku said. "You sure are having some bad luck today."

"There's no such thing as bad luck, Riku." Axel retorted, glaring at the silver-haired boy. "What happened to me were just unfortunate coincidences."

"Then…" Roxas began, ripping a strange piece of paper off of Axel's back and holding it up for all of us to see. "… Is that why you have a 'kick me' sign on your back?"

I took the paper from Roxas and looked it over carefully, noticing the words 'kick me' in big letters. "Roxas has a point Axel. Don't you think you might actually be having bad luck?"

Axel let out a huff and took the paper from me, crumpling it up and tossing it in the nearest trash can. "Saru, please… The very idea of 'luck' is completely ridiculous; especially bad luck. There's no such thing as any kind of luck. It's just an unfortunate coincidence."

"An 'unfortunate coincidence,' huh?"

Axel just ignored me and stepped into the classroom in a huff. We all looked at each other and shook our heads, before following him into the science room. If Axel really was having bad luck, then the chemistry assignment we were having in class today wasn't going to end well…

…

- Science Class -

...

"Uh… Axel… Are you sure you know what you're doing?" I asked warily as Axel picked up a test tube with a strange green liquid, preparing to pour it into the beaker. The chemicals in said beaker were bubbling dangerously, and I had a bad feeling that the green liquid Axel had in his hand would make it even worse… as in… it would explode…

"Quit your worrying, sweetheart; I'm a chemistry whiz." Axel replied, paying no heed to my warning. Going against everything I told him, he poured the green liquid into the beaker. It bubbled even more dangerously than before, and I tightened my safety goggles knowing the result of two unstable chemicals being mixed together.

Suddenly, the mixture stopped bubbling and Axel looked at me smugly with a triumphant smirk. "See? I told you-"

A large explosion shook the entire lab, and several beakers and other glass objects tumbled to the floor, shattering on contact. Mixtures made by the other students began to react and explode, turning the science lab into one gigantic mess.

When the smoke cleared, everyone's lab coats were tainted black. The room was covered in broken glass and dangerous chemicals.

"Everyone, stay calm!" Our science teacher exclaimed, waving his hands back and forth.. "I just called the janitor, and he will be here to sanitize the room momentarily."

We were all late to History class, since we couldn't take off our safety gear until the lab was completely cleared of harsh chemicals. Luckily, we always keep our belongings in a cupboard to protect them and keep them safe just in case anything like this ever happened.

I kept telling him not to do it.

But did he listen to me?

No.

"Well, Axel? Was _that _an 'unfortunate coincidence?'"

…

…

That was a few days ago. And no matter how many bad things happened to him, Axel still refused to believe in bad luck. No matter where he went, tragedy struck, and the people around him suffered the effects more than he did… preferably me, Roxas, Demyx, Sora, and Riku.

Today in History, our teacher was kind enough to give us a cooking project. We were assigned to make different foods from different regions of the world as an example of cultural diversity. And as if that wasn't enough… as if _just_ to torture me… I was partnered with Axel.

"Well, well, Saru," he said, casually draping an arm around my shoulder. "looks like we're partners again."

"Oh God, please, just kill me now…" I groaned, putting my face in my hands.

Our assignment was a simple dish of Chinese fried rice. But I wasn't about to let Axel ruin things with his bad luck streak, whether he believed in it or not.

During the course of the class, I never allowed him to touch any of the ingredients, or the stove. I did everything myself, ignoring his numerous protests and complaints.

"I'm going to the bathroom Axel. Now I'm only going to say this once…" I stated sternly, pointing a finger at him as a note for him to pay attention. "Don't… touch… anything… Understand?"

He nodded feverishly, and I exited the room to go use said bathroom. I looked back several times to double check that he really wasn't touching anything. When I saw that he wasn't, I walked out of the room…

Big mistake…

Axel stood there, with his arms crossed and tapping his feet impatiently waiting for my return. But when I didn't show up, his eyes darted from the door to the stove eyeing the fried rice. It was time to mix the food but I specifically warned him not to touch anything.

But, like always, he never listens to me.

Going against my warning, he grabbed the skillets and sifted the fried rice, carefully making sure he wouldn't cause any damage. But, without warning, the rice went up in flames and he began to get nervous, trying to smother said flames. I walked back into the room and noticed the smoke from our cooking station and my eyes bugged out.

"Axel!" I exclaimed. "What the hell did you do!"

"I didn't do anything!" Axel yelled back defensively, still trying to smother the flames. "It just set itself on fire!"

"I told you not to touch anything!"

I moved to turn the stove off, when the smoke reached the fire alarm setting it off. Unfortunately, it also set off the cooking room's sprinklers. Everyone was doused in water, and their cooking projects were ruined. I managed to turn off the stove, which was sizzling from the contact with the water, and turned to glare at Axel who was smiling nervously at me.

"Axel…" I said, trying to keep my anger in.

"… Yes, Saru?" He asked nervously.

I took a deep breath, but it was very shaky, a sign that I was about to blow. "Next time I tell you not to touch anything… DON'T TOUCH **_ANYTHING_**!"

…

- After School, At The Castle -

…

"Axel.. It's time to face facts," Roxas said. "You have bad luck."

The bell rang and school had ended. But that didn't mean that the bad luck had stopped.

Axel ignored Roxas, which was surprising because ignoring your best friend is one of the things you usually never do, and stomped towards his room. "I'm gonna go take a shower."

He slammed his door rather loudly, and me, Roxas, and Demyx looked at each other grimly.

"He's never gonna let up, is he?"

I shook my head. "Sure looks like it…"

A half-an-hour after he had left, Axel's door flew open with said redhead clad in a towel with red splotches all over his skin. Apparently, the shower decided to throw scalding hot water on him.

"Well, Axel?" I asked nonchalantly, crossing my arms. "Are you ready to admit you're having bad luck?"

"It's a minor setback, okay? Obviously, someone decided to play a joke on me."

"Yeah.. Right…"

…

- A Few Hours Later -

…

Axel was walking down the hall when he suddenly slipped on a random banana peel that seemed to appear out of nowhere. He slid down the nearly endless hallway, before crashing none-too-gently into the wall. Falling to the floor, he glared at the banana peel, kicking it several feet into the air but unfortunately it landed onto his face.

"You okay Axel?"

He looked up and saw me standing over him, and he sighed. I offered him a hand up and he took it, getting up onto his feet, and dusting himself off.

"Well?"

"'Well' what?"

"Are you willing to admit that you're having bad luck?"

He gave me that look that said 'what, are you crazy?' and replied, "I'm telling you Saru, there's no such thing as bad luck, okay?"

As soon as he said this, he slipped on the same banana peel and fell right back onto the floor. When he saw me standing over him with a smug look on my face, he sighed again.

"Okay… you might be right…"

…

- Saturday -

…

Today was a Saturday, and it would have been a good day, if it weren't for Mr. Pyro and his little black cloud screwing everything up. Like I said before, everywhere that guy went, things went unbearably wrong. It was like he left a trail of destruction in his wake wherever he went. And today, the bad luck was worse than ever.

Almost everyone in the organization was in the kitchen - which was right next to the den, minding their own business. Xaldin was making pancakes for breakfast, Zexion was reading one of his books, Luxord and Xigbar were playing a game of poker, and Demyx was making himself a sundae. As soon as Axel walked into the room, though, everything went haywire.

Xaldin was having some trouble flipping one of the pancakes. He used all his strength to pry it off the pan, and it was sent flying into the air, landing on poor Demyx's head.

Demyx started to freak out, and dropped his sundae as he was walking into the den. It, in turn, landed on Zexion's head as the silent Nobody, for once, was screaming, dropping his book.

The book landed on Xigbar's foot as he yelped in pain - it was a thick and heavy book - and flailed his arms, making the table they were sitting on tip over. He and Luxord were on the floor in seconds, cards flying everywhere.

As I walked into the room, I noticed all the chaos that had taken place, and stared flatly at the one person that I knew had caused it: Axel. I walked up to him, crossing my arms, and looking at him with a stern visage.

"Well, Axel?" I asked expectantly, tapping my foot impatiently.

"…"

He didn't reply.

"_Axel_?" I repeated, more sternly than before.

"… Alright, alright, I give up! I believe in bad luck!"

I patted him on the shoulder reassuringly. "See, that wasn't so hard."

He just shrugged.

"Now that that's settled…" I handed him a mop and bucket.

"… CLEAN UP THIS MESS YOU CAUSED!" I yelled, prodding his chest with my finger.

"Yes ma'am…" He groaned, taking the mop and beginning to clean the ice cream and chocolate syrup off the floor. And I made sure he did it.

…

…


	23. Big Brother Zexion and Extreme Jealousy

**Banshee: Here's chapter 23. I'm sorry it took so long, I was having a little creative slump. But now I'm better! Yay!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OC and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Three: Big Brother Zexion and Extreme Jealousy

* * *

Lately, I've been having a rough time at school.

Apparently, I did something to piss off Monique, the leader of the cheer squad, and she decided to make my days at school miserable. She and her squad would repeatedly pull pranks on me and be blatantly rude and obnoxious to me. On top of that, they kept trying to flirt with Roxas, Riku, Sora, Demyx and Axel, and that made Kairi and me irritated as well. And Naminé was steamed also when we told her they were flirting with Roxas. To tell you the truth, I never thought such a patient and kind person as her could ever get that mad. It's kind of scary really…

It had been a couple days since their last prank, and I was on the lookout constantly just in case. What made matters worse was that if I didn't have one of the cheerleaders in my class, I had one of their boyfriends. And Monique's boyfriend Stan, the team quarterback, was in my health class.

The health teacher was scribbling words on the chalkboard for the rest of us to add to our notebooks, completely oblivious to the multiple paper balls that pelted my head constantly. And I didn't need to look to know who it was.

Stan was ripping small bits of paper out of his notebook and crumpling them up before throwing them at me, many of them getting stuck in my hair.

Axel, who was watching, was getting irritated by this and growled excessively, but didn't dare do anything for fear of being punished by the teacher.

Oh, what he wouldn't give to set his shoes on fire.

Him, and his stupid friends that would snicker every time he threw a paper ball at me.

He felt Roxas put a hand on his shoulder as he whispered to him, "I know what you're feeling right now Axel, but Saru's not letting it bother her. Just calm down."

"How can I?" Axel whispered back harshly. "I can't take this anymore, Rox. If I don't snap and deck them one, Saru _will_."

Demyx leaned over so he could contribute to the conversation without raising his voice.

"Axel has a point." He said, carefully monitoring his voice level. "I don't know how much longer I could take, either. We have to stop 'em before they do something to hurt Saru."

"Demyx! Axel! Roxas!"

They cringed and looked up to see the teacher in front of them, tapping her foot with the piece of chalk still in her hand. A reprimanding scowl was on her face, and her chain glasses were hanging low on her eyes displaying a message that she wasn't happy with them.

"Sorry Mrs. Sanchez…" They groaned in unison as the whole class held back giggles.

Mrs. Sanchez raised an eyebrow at them before returning to the board to continue writing.

…

- Lunch -

…

Lunch was even worse.

I had a variety of food on my tray which consisted of French-fries, a burger, a small cup of ketchup, a small dish of applesauce, and a carton of milk. Walking by the cheerleader's table, Monique smirked as she signaled to one of her squad members to stick out her leg just as I was walking by. My foot got caught under her leg and I let out a yelp as I tripped and fell onto the floor with my food flying everywhere.

All the other students stopped and looked at what happened, then laughed as I got up with ketchup and applesauce all over my uniform vest.

"Oops, I'm so sorry, I didn't see you coming." I heard the girl who tripped me say with fake apology as she and the rest of the squad giggled at my expense.

Axel glared at them and got up from his seat, accompanied by Riku and Sora, and walked over to me, helping me onto my feet while Sora helped me pick up the mess and Riku got me a few napkins to clean my uniform. Kairi and Roxas ran over to ask me if I was alright, and I told them I was fine, just a little shaken up. And frustrated.

Kairi turned to the cheerleaders and put her hands on her hips.

"You guys are so pathetic!"

They paid her no mind and continued to laugh at me. Steam was coming out of Kairi's ears, but she took my hand and took me to the bathroom to help me adequately clean the mess off my uniform.

…

- Later, At The Castle That Never Was -

…

I returned to the castle frustrated, angry, and confused.

What would Monique have against me?

At the moment, there was only one person that I could confide in:

A certain quiet bookworm that would at least listen to my problems. Of course I have Demyx and Roxas also, but Xemnas sent them away on a mission for the day as soon as we got back from school. And Axel was out in the World that Never Was taking his anger out on some Heartless. The only other person I could talk to was Zexion. At least he wouldn't laugh at me - then again, he usually never laughs at anything.

Quiet, understanding, and always giving advice that seldom fails.

He is the 'Cloaked Schemer,' after all.

He sat there silently as I poured my heart and soul out, nodding his head occasionally to show that he was paying attention. Though his face showed no emotion, I saw in his eyes the concern that he felt while listening to me. Even though he would never admit it, Zexion was like a big brother to me. He would always look out for me, giving me brotherly advice and even lectures at times. And he would give me a lot of lectures.

"It looks like you're stuck between a rock and a hard place, Saru."

"Gee," I muttered sarcastically. "_how_ could you tell?"

He rested a hand on my shoulder in an attempt at calming reassurance.

That was the thing about Zexion; he was always calm, no matter what the situation was - unless you count the whole Bad Luck Axel episode.

"The best thing to do would be to just not let them get to you. Remember, you'll be the better person by not striking back."

"That's easy for you to say… You don't have to deal with bitchy cheerleaders and their football jock boyfriends…"

"Thank Kingdom Hearts…"

I growled and punched Zexion hard in the arm, but he just chuckled slightly and dismissed it since my punches couldn't hurt anyone anyway. Maybe except for Demyx, but that was because he's a sissy.

"Look," He said, clearing his throat. "just hang in there. And… don't tell the others about our little talk, okay? I don't want the other members to think I've gone soft on 'em.."

I nodded in understanding, knowing that Zexion wanted to maintain his status as the 'Quiet Emo-Boy' of the Organization. Why they call him that though - or the fact that he wanted to be called that, I fear I'll never know. Whatever 'emo' is… Giving him a hug, I ran out of the room to go feed Hazel and Momo before going to make some pancakes.

…

…

Poor Zexion became my personal at-home therapist, as much as both of us hated the idea, and I talked to him so often we had to talk in his room since no one would go in there because… well… who knows what he keeps in there? Land mines? Grenades? Or maybe he keeps booby-traps like Xigbar does, but who knows? To put it simply: It's dark, it's unbearably quiet, and most of all… it's dark.

It turns out that Zexion's room is never pitch black; he always keeps some candles lit giving the room a warm and homey accent. Sometimes he uses the little desk light for reading, but he always says that candles set a better mood. Plus, it saves energy and you can't argue with that kind of logic.

Sitting on his bed, I watched as he arranged the books in one of his bookshelves, occasionally taking one out to quickly flip through the pages.

"What are you doing that for?" I asked as he was halfway through one of his mystery novels.

"I'm trying to make sure Demyx didn't take one of my books and scribble in them." He grumbled, putting the book back onto the shelf when he concluded that it wasn't defiled or maimed in any way. Apparently, that mystery novel was his favorite because he seemed like he would rip the water manipulator's head off if he did defile the item in some way.

I had to try not to laugh since Demyx always sneaks into Zexion's room and ends up using his books to practice his penmanship and writing short songs. Sometimes I asked myself whether or not the man was really that childish, but hey… this is _Demyx_ we're talking about.

"So what is it you wanted to talk about?" He asked, sitting next to me on the bed.

I put a finger to my chin, thinking, trying to remember what I wanted to talk to him about. Sometimes, I have these moments where I decide I want to do something, but then when I get up to do it I suddenly ask myself what the hell I was just about to do. I think they call those 'memory blackouts,' I'm not really sure.

"It's about Monique."

He sighed. "What'd she do to you _this_ time?"

"Well… Yesterday…"

Kairi and I took a break from science to go use the bathroom.

When we returned, though, we found our table ruined. The serum we were working on was spilled all over the floor, and the beakers were shattered into small pieces. Luckily, our belongings weren't harmed, but we couldn't say the same for our project.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Monique and two of her squad members smirking at us with satisfaction written all over their smug faces.

"So…" Zexion said, after I explained what had happened. "This Monique is the one that's bothering you all the time?"

I groaned. "If it's not her, it's her boyfriend Stan, her squad members, or _their_ boyfriends. To tell you the truth, I don't even know what I did to her to make her torture me."

"Are you sure? Maybe you did something to offend her?"

"Trust me Zexion, I have nothing to do with those miniskirt-clad, skanky, supposedly 'perfect' victims of 'popular' culture."

No offense to any cheerleaders, but there are some girls that make the rest of them look bad. Trust me, I have no beef against them. My sister was a cheerleader. And she was a very good one, too.

"Are you sure about that?"

"I'm positive. I've never gotten in their way, I've never even _done_ anything to them."

"Maybe they're just picking on you because you're not like other girls."

"What about Kairi? She's not like the other girls yet they don't pick on her."

"Hm… That's a good point…"

…

- The Next Day -

…

The next day, I decided to follow Zexion's advice to not let Monique's cruelty get to me.

But it was very difficult to do when everywhere I went, it was like everyone was looking down on me, then snickering and gossiping as I walked by. I wasn't sure if I would have handled it without my friends right next to me, glaring at everyone making them get back to their business.

…

- Lunch -

...

Axel and I were sitting at our lunch table waiting for the others when I saw Monique walking casually towards us, no doubt to try to flirt with Axel and insult me. So I did my best to ignore her as she leaned on the table, flicking back her wavy blonde hair every now and then.

"Hey Axel." She said in a flirty voice that almost made me barf on the spot.

His only reply was a practically nonexistent grunt of recognition.

I didn't know why, but my blood was boiling as I watched her try to flirt with him.

Wait a minute… was I… jealous?

"So, Axel.." Monique began, twirling a strand of her hair with her finger. "What's someone as popular as you doing hanging out with the bottom of the food chain?"

It was true, Axel had become pretty popular at school so far.

I could feel my face getting hot as I glared daggers at the girl who dared to flirt with _my_ Axel.

Wait… 'my' Axel?

Now I knew how he felt when I kissed Riku on Destiny Islands…

"I really don't know, Monique…" Axel said casually. "But they make great friends."

I was relieved that he was sticking up for the rest of us, even if he was doing it so subtly, but it didn't look like Monique was about to give up just yet.

"I'm sure they do. Why don't you come sit with us?"

She draped an arm around his shoulder, and I was resisting the urge to pummel that 'pretty' face of hers. The 'pretty' face with lips curled into a 'sexy' smile in an attempt to seduce the redhead that was clearly infatuated with _me_.

Not her.

_Me_.

But then she kept on talking.

"Then maybe we could go to my house after school and have a few drinks. What do you say, Axel? I could make it worth your while…"

I had had enough of this. There was _no_ way she was going to get him anywhere _near_ her house without prying him from my cold, dead hands first!

I grabbed Axel by the arm and hauled him away from her and yelled without thinking, "He's already with someone else!"

Axel looked at me with gaping wide eyes, as did everyone else, and Kairi, Demyx, Sora, and Riku, who were returning from the lunch line nearly dropped their lunch trays in shock.

"Is he now?" Monique asked with a sadistic smirk. "It wouldn't happen to be _you_, would it?"

I paused, suddenly recalling what I had just said, my face turning white.

"What would he want with a dirty, rag doll scrub like you? Surely not in bed, I hope. I doubt even the Chess Club nerds would want you. I know I wouldn't."

I felt uncontrollable rage as my entire face turned beet red.

'Dirty?'

'Rag-doll?'

'_Scrub_?'

And that 'bed' comment?

She had gone _way_ too far!

"You… _bitch_!"

Without thinking, I lunged at her knocking us both to the floor. I pulled her hair, and hit her numerous times before I felt a few pairs of hands grab each of us and pull us apart. Both our uniforms were messy and wrinkled, with small trails of blood from where we had punched each other.

"What is going on in here!"

All of the students, who had crowded around to watch, suddenly separated and the image of the assistant principal came into view with a demanding look on his face that meant he wanted to know what had happened.

…

- After School -

…

I couldn't believe it..

Monique and I had both been sentenced to detention for three days in separate rooms in order to keep us from fighting again. Luckily, she hasn't been bothering me since then.

"So you lost your cool, huh?"

"Yeah… But I couldn't help it…"

Zexion smiled at me and put a hand on my shoulder.

"At least you taught her a lesson, huh? Next time, if someone is bothering you, you tell me and I'll send some Dusks over there to freak them out, okay?"

I hugged him and said gratefully, "Thanks Zexion. I will."

With that, I ran out of the room and suddenly crashed into another body.

Looking up, I saw Axel.

"Hey Axel."

"So.. About today.. _Who_ did you mean when you said I was 'with someone else?'" He asked coyly, with an all-knowing smirk.

"Nobody." I said gruffly, walking around him "I just didn't want you to end up as one of Monique's 'boy-toys.'"

"You don't say.."

He put an arm around my shoulder and asked, "And is this 'someone else' somebody I know?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Let it go, Axel."

"I'll take that as a 'yes.' Is this 'someone else' a girl?"

"Probably, unless you swing more towards guys."

"Does this 'someone else' have a black kitten named 'Hazel?'"

"That's enough, Axel.."

"It's you, isn't it?"

"Shut up.."

"Hah! I knew it! I knew you couldn't resist my charm and good looks!" He yelled in triumph.

"Oh please… I wouldn't fall for you even if I was desperate. But Demyx or Riku… I'd say they're more my type."

"Oh really?" Axel scoffed, flicking his finger as a fireball appeared in his hand. "Can Demyx and Riku make fire?"

"Hm.. I doubt it. But Demyx can sing - really well, I might add - and he's also sweet and sensitive, and Riku has unwavering loyalty, passion and devotion. I'd say that beats fire by a landslide."

"Hm… Then why were you jealous when Monique was flirting with me?"

I blushed.

"No I wasn't!"

"Oh please, you were hotter than a baked potato."

"Liar!"

"Let's face it Saru. You were jealous. You know… my offer to be my girlfriend is still open for you…"

"AXEL!"

...

...


	24. An Outing With Cloud

**Banshee: Here's chapter 24!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Four: An Outing With Cloud

* * *

It had been a week, and the Sadie Hawkins dance was only a couple of weeks away from now.

And I didn't have a date!

Right now, I had three date options: Axel, Demyx, and Riku.

Demyx was an option because out of the five guys he was the only one without a date and he said he would go with me if I asked.

That's one thing about Demyx, he's a big sweetheart.

I needed sound advice, and the only person that could provide it was…

Guess who?

Yup. Zexion.

…

"So… date trouble, huh?" He asked in a matter-of-factly tone, taking a sip of his jasmine tea.

"'Trouble' is a _nice_ way of putting it.." I groaned, swishing around the hot chocolate in the mug Zexion gave me. I would have taken a drink of it, but I didn't want to burn my lips off.

"Well, have you made up your mind on who you're going to go with?"

"I don't really know, Zex. Right now, I wish I could just crawl into a dark hole and disappear until it's all over…"

"You already said you'd take Axel and Riku to the prom, right? So go with Demyx."

I thought for a moment before finishing the rest of my hot chocolate. Giving the mug to Zexion, I stood up and straightened my outfit.

"That's a good idea. I think I'm gonna go hang around in Radiant Garden for a while. Leon called and said he needed some help with something."

"Be careful."

I gave him a thumbs up and ran out of the room to ask Roxas to take me to my desired destination.

…

…

"Hi Squall!"

Leon cringed as he heard his most undesired first name, and turned to look at me with a warning scowl.

"That's _Leon_."

I shrugged and spotted Cloud fiddling with one of the Gummi Ships.

"What's Cloud doin'?"

"The last wave of Heartless attacks did a real number on our ships. Cloud may not be an experienced mechanic, but it's better than having Yuffie try to fix 'em. Remember the last time she tried to fix something?"

I began holding back giggles as I remembered when the kunoichi attempted to fix the oven. But that's a story for another time.

"Hey! Just because I can fix bikes doesn't mean I'm an expert mechanic!" Cloud interjected, grumbling angrily as he rolled out from under the ship he was working on.

"Hey Strife!"

He took one look at me, and cringed.

"Oh great… You're back…"

"Well nice to see you too, Blondie!"

He turned around in an attempt to escape, but I saw it coming and caught him in a hug.

"Leon…" He choked. "… _Help_…"

"Come on Saru, let him go before you choke him."

"Aw, you guys always ruin my fun!"

Cloud rubbed the area of his neck where my arms made contact, and coughed a few times before getting his bearings back.

"The ship ain't in the best shape ever, but I did the best I could. I have to go meet Reno over at Merlin's."

"That's okay, Cloud. Why don't you take Saru with you?"

Cloud cringed again.

"What?"

"It's been a little while since she's seen everybody. Besides, I've had enough of her for one day.."

"Aw, but I've only been here for a half-hour! Is it because I called you 'Squall?' I'm sorry, Leon."

Huh. 'Squall.'

Who in the hell names their kid 'Squall?'

Seriously… who does that?

Leon put a hand to his face and started shaking his head.

"Never mind. Just… the both of you… go… please…" He stuttered, shooing the two of us away with his free hand.

…

"So, what does the Axel Clone want?"

"I don't know, but he said it was important."

"What could possibly be important to that skirt-chasing womanizer?" I asked, rolling my eyes.

"Knowing Reno… who knows…"

We arrived at Merlin's house, and there we saw Reno leaning against the wall in a bored fashion.

He looked as if he had fallen asleep not too long ago.

That's Reno, for you…

I put a finger to my lips as a hint to Cloud to keep quiet as I snuck up to the snoozing redhead.

Taking a deep breath, I screamed into his ear, "WAKE UP YOU LAZY, GOOD-FOR-NOTHING, SKIRT-CHASING, WOMANIZING, ILL-MANNERED, DIM-WITTED **_PERVERT_**!"

He yelped in surprise at my wake-up call, and tumbled to the ground with a 'thump!'

Rubbing his sore ear, Reno looked up and saw my smug and satisfied face, along with Cloud's which was sporting a small smirk of his own.

"Jeez, man! You know I hate it when you guys sneak up on me!"

"Well, what's what you get for sleeping on the job, **_moron_**!" I snapped, smacking the redhead with my fist. "Leon told you to watch for Heartless, not to take a nap!"

"Ow! Come on, babe, go easy on me will ya? It's not my fault there's nothing to do here."

"Man, Reno… Maybe if you weren't so lazy, you might be able to find something to do with yourself, _besides_ flirting." Cloud scoffed as he watched the Turk try to flirt with me… which resulted in a few bumps on his head.

"Jeez… as if having _one_ perverted redhead pining for me wasn't enough… but _two_? _Why **two**_!" I exclaimed to no one in particular.

"Come on, babe. Who _can_ resist my charm and good looks, huh?"

"I don't know… maybe… _every single girl you've asked out_?"

"Ouch. Do you have to be so harsh, babe?"

"Call me 'babe' one more time, and I'll show you _just_ how 'harsh' I can be. Don't make me call Kadaj and his brothers!"

Reno scoffed.

"And then I'll have them hold you down while I kick your useless ass!"

Cloud took a few steps away from me, since I would never call the Sephiroth Remnants without a really good reason.

Not that I didn't consider kicking Reno's ass a really good reason.

Ever since Sephiroth returned, Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz decided to find something better to do with themselves and became known as the 'Sephiroth Remnants.' I have met them once before, after Cloud had long since kicked their butts, and we got off to a rather bumpy start. As soon as we put our dislikes for each other aside, though, we began to get along better.

Though, the only brother I got genuinely got along with without a problem was Yazoo.

All of a sudden, I felt someone hug me from behind and I screamed and elbowed them in the ribs.

"Reno! Stop grabbing me!"

"But… I didn't do it… this time…"

I looked and saw Reno standing next to Cloud, who was in front of me.

"Then… who…"

I turned around and saw a familiar young man with long silver hair, who faintly resembled Sephiroth. He had fallen to the ground, and was rubbing the sore area of his ribs that I had hit.

I recognized him instantly.

"Yazoo?"

"Hey Saru. I see you still pack a wallop.." Yazoo grumbled, using his sore ribs as emphasis.

"Sorry. If I'd have known that it was you, then I probably wouldn't have hit you."

"No, that's okay. Um… do you mind helping me up?"

Suddenly remembering that he was on the ground, I gave him a hand to help him up.

"So, where are Kadaj and Loz?"

Yazoo looked around, a little distraught that his brothers weren't there, like he thought.

"Oh, this isn't good… They were right next to me a minute ago…"

"Knowing those two, they probably went to look for 'big brother' Sephiroth." Cloud interjected, rolling his eyes at the 'big brother Sephiroth' part of the sentence.

I could tell that there was still no water under the bridge between the two of them. After all, Sephiroth did try to destroy the world once.

I couldn't say I blamed Cloud for the way he felt about the one-winged angel, but I couldn't say that they couldn't find some way to get along.

Huh… boys…

…

…

We found Kadaj and Loz hanging around in the crystal caverns no doubt trying to track Sephiroth's 'essence.'

They didn't seem too happy to see me, since I always did _something_ to piss them off. Mostly, I would piss off Kadaj, and since Loz would always follow him he would get pissed too.

Yazoo, to me, seemed more like the calmest and most agreeable of the three, since - unlike the other two - he was nice to me.

He saw the way Kadaj and I glared at each other, each of us unrelenting under the other's gaze. It looked as if one of us would snap and try to choke the other in a split second. Hell, if looks could kill we'd both be on the floor dead by now.

"So, uh… How was your search for Big Brother Sephiroth, Kadaj?"

The change of subject snapped us out of our staring match, and Kadaj just shrugged as Loz began wiping his eyes.

"Don't cry, Loz.."

"I'm not crying!" Loz shouted defensively.

"I see 'Big Brother Sephiroth' is as elusive as ever." I muttered sarcastically.

I saw Kadaj glare at me, and I put my hands up defensively hoping he would take the hint that it was only a joke.

"Look, Kadaj.. I know we got off to a bad start last time we saw each other, but can you at least make an effort to be nice to me?"

"After you insulted me? Forget it."

"So I called you a 'mamma's boy.' And an 'immature child.' Big deal. I was only joking."

"Your jokes aren't funny.."

"That right there is your problem. I call you immature because you _act_ immature."

"What!"

"Uh… guys? Maybe you should.."

"BUTT OUT, CLOUD!"

Cloud's eyebrow twitched, and Yazoo, Reno, and Loz were wise enough to back away to a reasonable distance. He cracked his knuckles, and gave us both a good whack on the head which greatly disturbed our argument.

"That's it, I've had it with your constant fighting! Kiss and make up, already!"

Kadaj and I exchanged weird/frightened looks first at each other, then at Cloud.

"**_NOW_**!" He almost screamed, an angry vein on his head, and his Mako-blue eyes were narrow, meaning he meant business.

We both hastily captured each other in a hug, saying 'sorry buddy,' numerous times in the most sincere and apologetic voices we could muster.

Cloud is really scary when he's mad…

"Wow… remind me to never get on Strife's bad side…"

Yazoo and Loz nodded in agreement to Reno's statement.

You never… **_ever_**… want to be on Cloud's bad side…

"Does this mean we can all be the best of friends?"

We all looked at Yazoo, who had a very unpleasantly happy expression on his face, like he had grown an extra head.

"Yazoo… what's with the face? It is happy, yet at the same time, very disturbing…"

"I just think it's great that you finally hit equal ground. You _are_ friends now…" Yazoo suddenly whipped out his gun, pointing it at us, before finishing in a menacing voice, "… _right_?"

Smiling nervously, Kadaj and I began to pat each other on the back in a friendly fashion.

"Of course we are! Ain't nobody in the world that are closer friends than us! No sir!"

At this, Yazoo went back to his carefree demeanor, smiling as he put the gun away as everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's good." He said with a pleasant smile, as everyone around him looked at each other nervously.

"We should probably get back to Merlin's. Besides, it's about time for Saru to head back to the Castle That Never Was."

As we walked back to Merlin's house I shared a glare with Kadaj, but Yazoo shot us an even scarier glare, his eyes almost glowing.

We gulped.

Yazoo was _definitely_ scarier than Sephiroth…

…

…

"So…" Leon began, as we came into range of proper hearing. "How was your day with Cloud, Saru?"

"Oh, it was fun.. _Real_ fun…" I replied dryly, not even bothering to mention the previous hour.

"You know what else would be fun?" Reno asked, slinging an arm around my shoulder. "You, me, and a movie. Or even better…"

Everyone cringed as I punched Reno so hard, he fell to the ground in an unconscious heap.

Seeing everyone's nervous stares, I stated in a matter-of-factly tone, "Had to shut him up _somehow_. And there was _no way_ I was gonna hear the rest of that sentence…"

The others noted the deadly gleam in my eyes.

_"Wow, she's scary…"_ They all thought at once. _"Maybe even scarier than Sephiroth…"_

I saw a portal appear with Roxas beckoning me over. Waving goodbye to the others, I jumped into the portal which would return me to the World That Never Was.

…

…

There was still the matter of my date for the Sadie Hawkins Dance, but I was too wiped out from the previous hours.

Boy, did I need some sleep..

There was no way I was going to catch many Z's later…

Man, am I getting too old for this…

…

…


	25. An Organization XIII Christmas pt 1

**Banshee: Here's chapter 25!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy, Square Enix does. I just own the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Five: An Organization XIII Christmas

Part One

* * *

It turns out that because of certain complications, the Sadie Hawkins Dance was being postponed until Christmas was over. They probably needed more time to set things up, or something…

As for Christmas… oh, don't get me started…

Christmas is a very special time of year.

It is a time of joy, a time of giving, and a time when people would take time from their busy lives to spend time with the people they love.

But it's another holiday that the Organization knew nothing of.

And it was my job to help them feel the joy of Christmas.

…

…

"Do you know what Christmas is, Zexion?"

"Hm?"

He closed the book he was currently reading, and picked up another one titled _Christmas for Dummies_. Opening the book and looking through it quickly, he came to a conclusion.

"Christmas is the day that people celebrate the birth of Jesus."

"No, not that Christmas. I'm talking about the one with the tree, and the decorations, and the presents, and Santa Claus."

He looked at me like I was crazy.

"You don't have any clue what I'm saying, do you…"

He shook his head, almost grimacing at the fact that there was something that he _didn't_ know.

"Christmas is a time where people give and receive gifts, and think of others before themselves. And they also take time to spend with their family. And a big man wearing a red suit comes to your house on Christmas Eve to deliver gifts. His name is Santa Claus, or - as some people call him - Saint Nicholas."

"So this 'Christmas' involves a fat man in red breaking into your house, and visiting over a billion homes in a single night?"

I nodded my head.

"That sounds scientifically impossible.. How can he visit all those houses in one night?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

Zexion seemed reluctant to go along with this Christmas idea, but he decided to do it for my sake. If I loved it so much, it couldn't possibly be bad, right?

…

We presented our idea for Christmas to Xemnas and the other members of the Organization.

Like Zexion, he also seemed unlikely to accept that idea.

But quite a few members were enthusiastic about celebrating the holiday, so he decided to allow it. Xemnas himself was intrigued by this particular concept, which was another reason why he allowed for the holiday to be celebrated in the Castle That Never Was.

…

During the beginning of the month we spent our time, and our munny, on Christmas decorations.

Tinsel, holly, lights, ornaments, wreaths, you name it.

We bought it.

We spent our time decorating the castle left and right, even having some Nobodies put decorations on the hard-to-reach spots.

I had discussed with them the traditions of Christmas, and what we had to do.

First things first, we had to get a tree.

There were only three weeks until Christmas.

…

…

"Are you sure you know what you're doing? Maybe we should just go buy a tree…"

"Come on, Demyx. These people grow Christmas trees. It's perfectly fine with them to cut them down. It said so on the sign on their front yard!"

I held an ax firmly in my hand as Demyx was huddling close hoping to keep warm.

We were searching for a fairly big-sized tree, since we live in a pretty big 'house.'

"Aha!"

I spotted it.

It must have been at least as tall as a telephone pole, completely fallen, and as green as a tree could be.

In short: It was beautiful.

That tree was coming home with us.

"But Saru, how are we gonna get this thing back to the castle?"

I stared at him with a look that said 'are-you-freaking-kidding-me?'

"You can create portals, remember? _That's_ how we'll get it home."

As I took the ax and was about to swing, Demyx grabbed my arm, stopping me.

"Um.. Maybe you should let me do it… so you don't hurt yourself… you know, since you're a girl and all…"

I knew that he didn't say that to be mean, but it still pissed me off. I shot him a glare and he backed away, putting his hands over his head protectively for fear of me hitting him.

"You're lucky because of two things. One, it's Christmas time. And two, because you're cute. Don't push your luck, mister."

He nodded feverishly in understanding as I took the ax and proceeded in cutting down our Christmas tree.

…

A few strikes later, the tree was on the ground, and we had tied its branches together with rope.

Demyx created a portal and we dragged the tree through it by its trunk.

"Whoa, that's a huge tree guys!"

"Did you get the tree stand out?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Then stop standing there like an idiot and go get it! This thing's heavy!"

…

Once the tree was set up, it towered over everything around it.

All that was left to do with it was to decorate it.

Yay! I love decorating the tree!

First were the lights.

You always put on the lights first… that is, unless you decorate your tree differently.

…

The tree was fully decorated, and it was practically glowing and the mere sight of it was nothing less of magnificent.

I took out a list, and called the other members to a meeting to discuss the plan for buying gifts, and discussions concerning the Christmas party which would be a week before the holiday actually took place.

"Okay, so we all agree on the gift-buying topic?"

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement and I shuffled through my papers in order to discuss another subject.

"You might not know this, but Christmas has a rule. And that rule is: you have to be nice to each other."

"WHAT!"

I was prepared for this reaction and covered my ears before the word even escaped into open air.

"I had a feeling you would react this way. I'm sorry if this is making you uncomfortable guys, but Christmas is about putting others before yourself and spending time with the people that are important to you. It's about joy, and giving…"

Axel suddenly appeared with some mistletoe in his hand as he dangled it over my head.

"Don't forget love…"

As he attempted to kiss me, my fist shot out and knocked him out of his chair and onto the floor in a heap. He would most likely be unconscious for the remainder of the meeting, if he was lucky..

"_As I was saying…_ At least give it a chance.."

At first, there was a silence and I was ready to give up on this whole 'Bring Christmas Spirit to Castle Oblivion' plan.

But then, a voice spoke up.

"I'll try it."

Zexion was the first person to speak, and soon the others followed one by one.

"Yeah, I'll try it too.."

"I don't see why not.."

I was happy to see that everyone was willing to go along with this.

If only I could get this response from them on Valentine's Day…

… Ew, maybe not such a good idea…

…

…

I surveyed all the decorations, making sure that everything was in place.

Noticing Demyx in the kitchen, I walked inside seeing him in a pink 'kiss the cook' apron with matching pink oven mitts, carrying a tray of - what looked like - gingerbread men. Many of them were mal-deformed, and some of them had some appendages that were bigger than the rest.

"Demyx… _what_ are those?"

"They're gingerbread men, silly! I made them! Here, try one!"

He handed one to me, and I hesitated to put it in my mouth.

But I did, and I nearly gagged at the unpleasantly salty taste that it left. I was about to spit it out, until I saw Demyx's face beaming with pride and I swallowed it, not wanting to hurt his feelings.

"So… how are they?"

"Um… Demyx… what did you put in these?"

"Just this white grainy stuff in the bag on the counter."

"But… which one?"

"What do you mean 'which one?'"

"There's two of them. Which one did you use?"

"The one that said 'S-A-L-T' in big letters."

"Salt? You put _salt_ in the gingerbread men? No wonder they tasted nasty! You're supposed to put _sugar_ in cookies, not salt!"

"But they both look the same! How am I supposed to tell?"

"Here's a hint: One says 'salt,' and the other says 'sugar.' My advice is to use the one that says 'sugar' on it. Stay away from salt. Salt is good on French fries, not in cookies."

I saw the look on his face, and I knew I would have to console him before he broke out in tears.

"Look. How about I help you? I used to help my mom make cookies all the time."

He smiled.

"Really? You'd do that?"

"Of course."

"Thank you Saru, you're the best!"

"Uh… Demyx…"

"Oh.. Right… no touchie…"

He released me from his near-hug, and decided to make the smart choice of getting back to the task of making the cookies. I gave him steady instructions on what to add, in an exact measure, and how long to cook them for. But I would still have to make sure he did it right before we actually baked said cookies..

You can imagine why I would want to do that…

Demyx is _not_ the best cook…

The only task that was left was going Christmas shopping and, of course, near-begging Xemnas to allow me to have a party at the castle.

…

"No."

I stared at him blankly, completely shocked.

"Come on, Xemnas, can't I have a Christmas party with my friends?"

He looked through his numerous stacks of paperwork, and answered in a monotone voice, "Sure you can. Just not here."

"Please? There's _more_ than enough room here!"

Taking his eyes off the papers, he looked me in my own and stated sternly, "The answer is _no_."

But I wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer.

I was ready to take drastic measures.

"I'll cry!" I yelled defiantly, trying to force tears to form.

He just looked at me with a raised eyebrow and began shuffling the papers in his hand.

"Go ahead; won't do you any good."

"Heartless bastard…"

"I know."

"We won't be any trouble, Xemnas! Please? This is one of the few times where everyone can be together! It just wouldn't feel right without all my friends! Please? Please? Please? Please? **_PLEASE_**?"

"Fine! If it will stop your whining, then yes, you can have a party." Xemnas growled, trying to keep his welling anger down by taking deep breaths.

"Yay!"

"But you're only having water and Eggnog. No alcohol."

"Huh! No fair!"

"Do you know what happened when people get drunk?"

Suddenly, the grim realization of me getting drunk and waking up in a bed with Axel began to dawn on me, and I screamed, trying repeatedly to gouge my eyes out.

"AHH! **_HELL_** NO! GAAHH! Okay, okay, I get it… But… can I have juice too?"

Xemnas sighed.

"Yes, you can have juice."

"And soda?"

"Yes, you can have soda too."

"How about chips and dip?"

"Yes…"

"And cookies and pie?"

"Yes…"

"And ice cream, and steak, and mashed potatoes?"

"Yes, yes, and yes…"

"And balloons, and party favors, and gift baskets, and cute little knick-knacks, and decorations, and games, and movies, and…"

He was growing irritated as he massaged his temples to soothe his growing headache as I continued on and on.

"Yes, yes, you can have anything you need for this party, now STOP PESTERING ME!"

"Alright! Thanks Xemnas!"

I noted how red his face had gotten and decided to prod him one more time.

"It's so much fun to piss you off."

I got the message to leave when he growled excessively, and darted down the hall as the agitated Superior began to pick up the papers he had thrown to the floor due to his frustration.

Skipping down the hallway, I now had another task at hand.

The party was on, now all we needed was some guests.

…

…

"A Christmas party?"

I nodded feverishly, and Leon looked at me like I sprouted an extra head.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Of course! Xemnas even said it was okay."

"You mean you annoyed him until he said 'yes…'"

He shook his head when I answered him with one of my devious grins.

A special talent I had would be my ability to talk people down, or at least annoy them enough so that they bend to my will so that I will be happy… or to just get me out of their hair, I guess it depends on how you look at it..

"Are you sure this isn't some sort of trap? Remember, Organization XIII is a tricky bunch."

"Them? Right… Try _living_ with them. They don't seem so 'evil' then… So are you coming?"

He scratched his head and thought for a moment, before shrugging his shoulders.

"I don't see why not. I'll see if I can get the others to come too."

"Even Mr. Angsty-Pain-In-The-Butt-Party-Pooper-Pants Cloud?"

"Who're you calling 'angsty?'" A voice from behind me asked in a dangerously low, flat tone.

Turning around, I saw Cloud who was sporting a frightening scowl, with a pulsing anger vein on his forehead. Leon chuckled as he watched said blonde smack me in the back of the head with his fist.

"Ow! Meanie! I'm telling Aerith!"

"Who's the 'Pain-In-The-Butt-Party-Pooper-Pants' now?" Cloud teased in a mocking tone, slightly sticking his tongue out at me.

'Mr. Angsty-Pain-In-The-Butt-Party-Pooper-Pants' is just one of my nicknames for Cloud.

Sometimes I call him 'Chocobo' (because of his hairstyle), 'Blondie,' or just plain 'Strife.' And there are times where I make jokes about him having a 'little black cloud' following him all the time because he's so angsty, gloomy and mope-y.

He always hits me for that…

"I think she's more of a pain in the butt than anything else.." Leon added, trying to stifle his snickers.

Cloud would have been laughing too, but trying to get him to laugh - or even smile - is like getting blood out of a stone… it's just impossible…

"You're both jerks…"

…

…

"A Christmas party? At the Castle That Never Was?"

I nodded.

"This is for real?"

I nodded again.

"Riku, Kairi, what do you think?"

"I don't see any reason why we shouldn't. I mean, they had us over for Saru's birthday, right Sora?" Kairi asked, smiling.

"That's a good point."

"I still don't trust them…"

"Is that _really_ what you think, Riku?" Sora asked coyly, slinging an arm around the silver-haired teen's shoulders.

"It's a Christmas party.. That means there's gonna be mistletoe…"

Seeing Riku's sudden blush, he continued, "… and the tradition is that if two people are caught underneath it, they have to _kiss_…"

"Shut it, Sora…"

"Smoochie, smoochie, smoochie…"

"Quit it.."

"Smoochie, smoochie, smoochie…"

"Stop teasing Riku!" Kairi shouted in a reprimanding tone, smacking Sora in the head.

"Ow! Come on Kairi, you know I'm just kidding!"

"So you guys are coming?"

Kairi answered for the three of them by replying, "Of course we are! We wouldn't miss it for the world!"

I squealed and gave Kairi and hug, and gave Sora and Riku a kiss on the cheek before leaving.

…

…

December 17.

Today was the day for the big Christmas party.

I had to make sure the castle was ready for when our guests arrived.

Luckily, Xemnas agreed to give the other members a little behavior 'pep-talk' before everyone showed up.

You know what he told them?

"If you cause any trouble, I'm turning you into Dusks!"

That's what he said, word for word. Most of the members would have emphasized this truth with that whole 'cross my heart' deal, but… you get the idea…

"Kairi! Riku! Sora!" I squealed as soon as the trio appeared in the door, and attacked them all in a rib-crushing hug. "You made it!"

"And we brought candy!" Sora exclaimed, holding up a box of said candies.

"That's right! Our gift to everyone is teeth-rotting cavities!" Riku added, feigning excitement, with sarcasm in his voice.

"Pay no attention to Riku. He's being a big Bah Humbug today."

"Yeah. I think he's still mad at me for teasing him the other day."

"Oh, you _think_?"

Kairi elbowed Riku in the ribs as a hint to knock it off, ignoring his slight groan of pain.

"Just ignore them. I mean, that's what happens when you live with ditsy boys." She said with a smile, ignoring their reactions.

"Hey! _Sora's_ the 'ditsy' one, not me!"

"Come on, Kairi, you don't really mean that, do you?"

I had to try my hardest not to laugh.

"I know what you mean. I live with eleven of them."

I left Roxas out of that, because in no way, shape, or form is he 'ditsy.'

But I can't say the same for the rest of them though…

"Oh, you poor thing…" Kairi replied sympathetically, giggling at Axel and Demyx's responses as they walked into the room just in time to hear the 'ditsy boys' part.

"I'm… ditsy?" Demyx sniffled, his eyes welling up with tears.

"Sorry Rox," Axel said, patting Roxas on the shoulder. "Being Sora's Nobody, you share in his 'ditsy-ness.' It's a shame, really…"

"She was talking about _you_, Axel.." The younger boy retorted, his eyes narrowed into agitated slits.

"Ouch.." Demyx said, cringing, and forgetting that he was upset by this. "That was cold…"

Spotting Leon and Cloud, I instantly ran over to them, hugging them to the point where the air was forced out of them.

"Leon! Cloud! You made it!"

After I released them, they looked at me strangely, which was the look they would always give me when I didn't act the way I normally did around them.

"Wow, you didn't call me 'Squall' this time…"

"Yeah, who are you, and what have you done with Saru?"

"Ha ha, very funny you guys.."

Following Leon and Cloud was the entire Restoration Committee, and each one was greeted enthusiastically. When the time came to greet Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo, I did not hesitate to hug all three of them and they all found that strangely refreshing that I was acting so nice. Somehow they managed to drag Sephiroth into this, and it took all of us to keep them from attacking each other.

"Hey Kadaj."

He stared at me for a moment, raising an eyebrow before answering, "Yeah?"

"Not that I'm not glad that he's here, but… how did you get Sephiroth to come?"

"To tell you the truth, he didn't want to come. When we told him Cloud was going to be here, he practically left without us."

"Maybe he wants to make peace?"

"Who knows.. Big Brother isn't exactly the forgiving type. He's a… what do you call him? A 'gloomy,' 'angsty,' 'mope-y,' 'introverted little pain in the ass?'"

"Actually, Reno calls him an 'introverted little pain in the ass.' Speaking of Reno… is he here?"

"I think I saw him walk in. Why?"

"Just thought I should have a warning, so he doesn't catch me off guard this time… with one of his come-from-behind hu-GYAH!"

I was cut off as I felt arms wrap around me from behind. Out of pure reflex, I elbowed my 'attacker' in the ribs sending them onto the floor.

Turning around I saw that the person on the ground, once again, was Yazoo.

"Damn it Yazoo, don't do that! For a second there, I thought you were Axel or Reno…"

"Sorry, Saru.."

"If you're going to do that, then at least say something so I know it's you."

Kadaj scoffed. "You know Yazoo; hardly anything gets through that thick skull of his."

"Brother…" Yazoo whined, not getting up from his place on the floor. "That's not a nice thing to say…"

"Yeah, be nice," I reprimanded, slapping Kadaj on the hand. "It's practically Christmas, for God's sake. Behave yourself. You don't see _Loz_ misbehaving."

I pointed to Loz, who was socializing with Xigbar and Luxord, telling jokes and laughing.

"Although…" I added. "… you might want to keep him away from Xigbar; he's a bad influence.."

"Isn't everyone in the Organization a 'bad influence?'" Yazoo asked, standing up and dusting off his reindeer sweater.

"To some extent, yes. It really depends on who you're talking about. Cute sweater, by the way."

Yazoo blushed. "Aw, thank you."

"Oh brother… gag me with a freaking spoon…" Kadaj muttered to himself, rolling his eyes.

"Sheesh, and you guys call _me_ sour.." A voice behind me said in a monotone fashion.

I turned around and saw Riku.

His arms were crossed, and he looked more bored than a hyperactive five-year-old at a church service.

"Then you guys will get along just fine."

I pushed Riku and Kadaj together, and grabbed Yazoo by the arm, dragging him away.

"Play nice, now!" I chirped, continuing to drag the remnant out of the room against his will.

…

"For the last time, Axel, I am _not_ doing the mistletoe!" I yelled at Axel for what seemed like the fiftieth time that night.

"Come on Saru, please?" The redhead practically begged. "Just one little kiss…"

"_NO_!"

For the past few hours, Axel has been chasing me around the castle, still dangling that stupid mistletoe over my head.

If it weren't for the fact that Christmas was coming, and I wanted to keep that whole 'good will' thing, I would have belted him by now.

"If you do this one thing, I promise, I'll never ask you for anything again!"

"Axel, I wouldn't kiss you if my life depended on it. For all we know, I could catch your stupid!"

"But, Saru, stupidity isn't a virus.." Roxas said, as he watched Axel go off and sulk in the corner.

"It is in _his_ case.."

"Would you kiss _me_, Saru?" Demyx chimed in, his eyes sparkling.

"Of course I would. Your stupidity isn't contagious."

His face shattered as tears suddenly welled up in his eyes.

"I'm… stupid?" He sniffed.

"No, of course you're not stupid Demyx, I was only joking. You're really smart." I said quickly, in an effort to console him.

He suddenly smiled triumphantly, and said, "Darn right I am! Watch! E equals Pi!"

We all stood there motionless at his statement, not really knowing what to say. That, and what he just said didn't make any damn sense.

Demyx isn't exactly a genius…

"O-kay…"

…

…


	26. An Organization XIII Christmas pt 2

**Banshee: Here's chapter 26. I thought I'd get the second part in by Christmas. By the way.. Happy Holidays!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Six: An Organization XIII Christmas

Part Two

* * *

The party went surprisingly well, and it proceeded without problems.

With that out of the way, we took care of any last minute shopping before the wondrous night of Christmas Eve.

In case you are unaware of the situation, each member was to buy one gift for every person. In total, each person would get fourteen gifts.

Sounds fair, right?

Whether that count is correct or not, I don't really know.

I'm not really that good at math…

…

…

I opened the door to my room, and was just about to step out when a small leaf fluttered into my line of vision. Looking up, I saw some more mistletoe tied on a string to the top of my doorframe.

"Axel.." I growled, as I grabbed the defenseless little cluster and threw it to the ground. I made sure I crushed it into little tiny pieces with my foot, before proceeding down the hallway.

The other members would say that I have begun to sport an unpleasant attitude as Christmas came closer and closer.

Maybe, if _someone_ (a.k.a. Axel) wasn't so driven to annoy me with that stupid mistletoe crap, then maybe I might be a little more pleasant.

Soon, I found myself becoming angrier and more depressed as Christmas drew near. I guess you could say that certain things happened back at my real home that caused me to get depressed every time that dreaded holiday came around. But, I don't want to get into that… it's too depressing…

…

"What's wrong, Saru?"

"Hm?"

"You've been acting… I don't know… different…"

I looked at Roxas strangely.

"How different?"

"Different, as in, you haven't hit Axel yet today. Is something wrong?"

Why did he have to be so damn perceptive?

"It's nothing Roxas."

"But you were so happy a week ago."

"Well… I guess I can tell you.. Three years ago, around Christmas time, my older sister was coming home from some last-minute shopping with her boyfriend. As you know, the roads are always crappy at that time of year. When they rounded the turn, this truck came out of nowhere and it…"

I stopped for a minute so I could get my emotions under control, before speaking again.

"They got into a bad car crash. Her boyfriend managed to get out of it, save a few bad injuries, but… she wasn't so lucky…"

"You mean, your sister…"

"Died? Yeah.. And it was on Christmas Eve."

"I'm so sorry…"

"That's what everyone says."

Roxas patted me on the shoulder reassuringly, and gave me a cookie.

"Buck up, it's almost Christmas. Surely your sister would want you to be happy this time of year, right?"

I smiled.

"You're right. Let's go."

As we were about to walk out the door, I grabbed Roxas' shoulder.

"But.. Can we keep that little talk we had between us?"

"Sure, Saru."

"Thanks, Rox. You're the best."

…

…

"Saru, wake up!"

No answer.

"Come on!"

Still no answer.

"She ain't waking up, let's just go!"

"Hold on a second! I know what'll wake her up.."

At first, nothing.

Then..

"SARU, AXEL'S RAIDING YOUR UNDERWEAR DRAWERS AGAIN!"

"Huh! But I didn't do anything!"

Suddenly, my fist shot up and struck Axel in the face, sending him flying across the room. The resulting crash startled Hazel and Momo, as they jumped out of their beds in surprise.

The two other Nobodies in the room flinched back when my tired form rose up on the bed like a vampire rising from its coffin. Like every morning, my hair was a mess, and I had that look on my face that said 'whoever did that is _dead_.'

My first words were groggy, and incoherent, but after a few minutes I was speaking clearly.

"Give me _one good reason_ why I shouldn't gut all of you right now.."

"It's Christmas, silly!" Demyx exclaimed, jumping up and down with glee. "It's time to open presents!"

Roxas, on the other hand, was seeing if Axel was still alive after the impact his face had with my fist. Surprisingly enough, he was fine.

"Seriously? It's Christmas?"

Demyx nodded enthusiastically, his face beaming with excitement.

"I'll be there in a minute, just tell everybody to start the unwrapping without me."

They stared at me for a moment, reluctant to leave me to miss the greatest few minutes of the year, but the gleam in my eyes told them otherwise.

When they left, I took the time to clean myself up a little, considering that my hair looked like a rat's nest, and feed Hazel and Momo before I did anything else.

…

As soon as my hair was brushed, I walked back into my room and reached into my music box to take out a small key. Using it to unlock one of the drawers, I opened it and took out a picture.

In the picture were two girls, happy and smiling, standing on either side of a large mouse, who was also smiling.

It was a picture of me and my sister standing beside Mickey Mouse, one of our favorite characters, at Disney World.

"Merry Christmas, sis," I whispered, smiling as I put the picture back into the drawer and locking it for safekeeping.

"I'd better get out there. They'll probably think I died by now."

…

…

When I walked into the living room, most of the members were finishing up unveiling their gifts. I saw the looks of happiness on their faces, and I saw that I had succeeded in bringing Christmas spirit to the Castle That Never Was. Leaning against the doorframe, I felt a strange feeling of accomplishment as I was successful at trying the impossible.

"Feeling better, Ms. Raggedy-Anne?"

I rolled my eyes as Axel appeared next to me, also leaning on the doorframe.

"Watch it, carrot top. It may be Christmas, but I won't hesitate to hurt you. I punched you in the face once today, and I can damn well do it again."

He flinched slightly, but regained his composure just as quickly.

"So, uh.. Who're you going to the Sadie Hawkins with?"

"Demyx. Why?"

"Just wondering.."

"Saru!"

Roxas ran up to me, holding a present in his hand, which I was guessing was for me.

"You haven't opened your presents yet."

He paused for a second, before adding, "And you might want to look up."

That was the only thing he said before he darted off to join the others in 'testing' the new items they received.

Axel and I took the hint, and looked up.

And there it was. Mistletoe.

It was a very awkward moment, as neither of us were expecting it. And for once, it wasn't Axel's doing. I really should have known that this would happen. After all, mistletoe was everywhere at Christmas time. On doorframes, hanging from ceiling fixtures, etc.

"Come on, kiss already so we can take a picture!"

Demyx was holding a camera, with that same goofy grin, holding a digital camera which, I am guessing, was his.

Man… I'm gonna need a shower after this…

I leaned forward and gave Axel a quick kiss on the lips, as the camera's light flashed.

"Aw, you guys look so cute together!" Demyx chimed, as he looked at the picture he had just taken with a satisfied grin.

"Hey, Demyx, can I have a copy of that picture?" Axel asked anxiously, quickly getting over the surprise my kiss inflicted on him. When the water manipulator blew a raspberry at him, Axel chased him, as the nocturne screamed repeatedly for help.

Watching the scene, I laughed and shook my head at the pure ridiculousness of it all.

But that kiss left me wondering…

Do I have feelings for Axel?

Watching him chase Demyx around in a circle, throwing fireballs at him, I shook my head again.

"Huh. Like that'll ever happen.."

…

…


	27. The Trouble With Men

**Banshee: Here's chapter 27. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OC and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Trouble With Men

* * *

As anyone is aware, the school system gives students a winter break that runs through the rest of December. At least, that's how I think it goes…

And you know what I did that whole time?

You guessed it..

I bugged the daylights out of Leon and Cloud!

Hey, they deserved it for being a couple of smartasses…

When I see an opportunity, I take it, damn it!

Anyway, on with the story…

…

…

Winter break had just begun to progress, and I suddenly saw fit to go to Radiant Garden to visit my two favorite stone-faced friends, Squall and Blondie. I figured I owed them one after all those smart remarks they kept giving me at the Christmas party.

REVENGE!

Oh, they were gonna get theirs…

But when I saw them up ahead, I stopped short.

They were talking to someone… a man, with long black hair, wearing a long tattered red cape and a golden gauntlet on his left arm.

I squealed, recognizing him immediately.

"Vincent?"

The three men stopped talking and turned around, and Leon and Cloud's faces paled.

"You might want to run…"

"… Too late…" Vincent interrupted Leon, as they saw that I had already captured him in a hug.

"Once again, the deadly viper has taken another victim into its grasp.." Cloud muttered sarcastically, as Leon laughed.

Vincent glared at them. "I don't find this very funny."

"You don't find _anything_ funny, Vincent."

"My point exactly."

"What are you doing here, Saru? I thought you weren't supposed to leave the World That Never Was without a member of the Organization with you."

"It's a long story Leon, I'll explain later. Plus, I'm here because I want to get you back for being a couple of smartasses."

"Aw, can't we have a little fun?" Leon replied, feigning disappointment.

Vincent just listened to all of this, not understanding the situation.

"I'm sorry to spoil the mood, but I'm not really following here…"

"Oh, that's right." Cloud interjected. "You were away for a few weeks, checking out Port Royal. How were things there, Vincent?"

Vincent summed up his visit to Port Royal in one simple word:

"Boring."

"'Boring?'"

"Yes. Boring. There were Heartless, and the occasional Nobodies, but they were all very easy to take care of. Otherwise, there was nothing of real interest."

"Only you would get bored, Vincent." Leon replied, crossing his arms. "Is that you talking, or _Chaos_?"

"More or less, both of us.. Chaos isn't the only one that likes a challenge."

Why was I not surprised to hear that?

It must be a guy thing, to always go for the big challenges and never want to do things the simple way. I guess guys like to make things difficult. You don't see many guys that are willing to ask for directions when they're lost.

Take last Thursday, for instance..

…

- Last Thursday -

...

_Once again, Axel's poor sense of direction had gotten us lost._

_This time, we were paying a visit to Atlantica, since Axel and Roxas were sent on a reconnaissance mission, and they dragged me along - most likely because that perverted redhead wouldn't be able to pass up the opportunity to see what I would look like as a mermaid._

_… Pervert…_

_"Just face it Axel, we're lost!" I exclaimed heatedly, stopping to rest my newly-acquired tail. "If you just went through that tunnel three hours ago, like I told you to, then we wouldn't be_ in_ this situation! But do you listen to me? No!"_

_Then again, does he _ever _l__isten to me?_

_Once again, the answer is no._

_Axel looked at the map numerous times, turning it around to look at it from a different angle. At my outburst, he rolled his eyes in annoyance and shoved the parchment into Roxas' hands. The sandy-haired Nobody was unprepared for the action and nearly dropped the map._

_"I know where I'm going, Saru!"_

_"Really? Does it look like where we're supposed to be? This," I began, emphasizing by pointing to our surroundings. "does _not ___look like the sunken ship! Do you see a ship here? 'Cuz I sure don't!"_

_"Oh, do_ you ___want to lead this mission?"_

_"I would, yes. And since I am an official member of the Organization, I am entitled to that responsibility."_

_"Ah, but I am your superior, which means what I say goes!"_

_"I don't care if you're the Demon Seat of Davy Jones! I follow no one's orders but my own! You got that, Sunshine?"_

_"Uh… guys…"_

_"Not now, Roxas.. Come on, Axel. How hard is it to go and ask someone for directions, huh? What about that school of silverfish that passed by earlier? You couldn't ask them for directions?"_

_"I don't need directions, and we're not lost! We just got a little… sidetracked…"_

_"'Sidetracked!' Is that what you call it? Being 'sidetracked?' No, no, no. Taking a detour on the way home from the store, that's being 'sidetracked.' Visiting your mother during a half-hour drive across town, that's being 'sidetracked.' But this? This is not being 'sidetracked.' It's called being 'lost.' 'L-O-S-T' -_ '**LOST**___!' Lost, lost, lost, we're frickin' **lost**!" I screamed, slapping Axel across the face with my tailfin._

_"Guys, come on, you're acting like a couple of kids… or a married couple… whichever one bickers more often…"_

_"If you just listened to me in the first place, we wouldn't be in this situation right now! This is ALL… YOUR… FAULT!"_

_Roxas groaned and went back to looking at the map when he saw that his statement went completely ignored. He stole a few glances now and then, and rolled his eyes as he continued to try to make sense of the situation._

_He had to, since no one else was…_

_"Oh no.. you are **not** pinning this whole thing on me!"_

_"I am, since you're **always messing things up**! You can't even tie your own **BOOT LACES** by yourself! You can't do a **thing** without me!"_

_"Are you challenging me?"_

_"And what if I am, carrot-top?"_

_In an instant, Axel brandished his chakrams and in response I summoned my Keyblade._

_"Uh… guys, maybe you shouldn't…"_

_"Step out of the way Roxie; this is gonna get ugly.."_

_We charged at each other, ready to strike, when a swarm of fish suddenly bolted in-between us, hindering our eyesight and making us drop our weapons as they disappeared. The fish seemed to go on forever until it was only down to the slower ones, as the faster fish disappeared around the corner._

_"Wow, those fish were really in a hurry.."_

_"Yeah," Roxas agreed, rolling up the map. "I wonder what they were running from…"_

_Hearing some growling, we slowly turned around and suddenly screamed as we realized why the fish were in such a hurry. Swimming towards us was a large shark, its mouth wide open, revealing rows of jagged, sharp teeth._

_We dodged out of the way before the shark could grab either of us, and it collided with one of the numerous walls of coral. It shook its head and suddenly decided that three mer-people were much more appetizing than a bunch of puny fish, and now _**we **___were on the menu._

_Bolting down the tunnels, we attempted to lose the snaggle-toothed behemoth in the caverns, but no such luck. Because of its ability to see magnetic fields around its prey, the shark was able to follow us no matter where we went. There was no losing this one…_

_"You know, Axel," I began, as we continued to swim for our lives. "If you just listened to me in the first place, none of this would be happening!"_

_"Well_ excuse ___me for just trying to make things easier!"_

_"'Easy!' You call this 'easy!' You call being chased by a savage hungry shark 'easy!'"_

_"Guys, this **really** isn't the best time to be arguing!"_

_"You're right, Roxie…" I said suddenly, rolling up my nonexistent sleeves as I stopped short. "It's time I showed that over-grown sushi-pack who's boss."_

_They looked at me like I was insane, but when I got that determined gleam in my eyes, there was no stopping me._

_"What are you gonna do? Nag it to death?"_

_"You know what? I just might do that."_

_Taking a deep breath, I was motionless as the shark came closer, opening its mouth to swallow me whole. When it was a few meters away, I took another breath and said something that made the shark stopped short in confusion._

_"There's a new invention called 'breath mints,' you know! It wouldn't kill you to try it! And look at those teeth! Get some braces put in so you can at least look presentable! And put on a sweater for God's sake, this water is **freezing**! You'll catch your death! Nag, nag, nag! Nag, nag, nag, nag, nag! Nag, nag!"_

_The shark suddenly quivered in fear and swam away quickly, with 'yipe-yipe!' noises echoing off the coral cavern walls._

_Roxas and Axel stared at me in amazement as I straightened my posture and smoothed out the scales on my tail. Turning to face them, I smiled pleasantly, and said, "You know, I just got a lot of anger off my chest. That felt really good."_

_"At least she's not taking it out on me…"_

_"Now…" I began after a few minutes, taking the map from Roxas and reading it. "_Where_ is that sunken ship?"_

_The two Nobodies suddenly paled, and swam away frantically as I quickly rolled up the map and went after them._

_"Guys! Wait up! You don't even know where the __**hell** you're going, do you? Guys? GUYS!"_

…

- Present -

...

See what I mean?

Now back to what is happening now.

"Say, Vincent… I need to ask you something.."

Vincent groaned in annoyance, but gave me a slight nod telling me it was okay to ask.

"WERE THERE LOTS OF PIRATES?"

"Uh…"

"Are you sure that this girl is still sane?"

"Please, Vincent, she's been insane for as long as we can remember. Even when we first met her, she was insane."

"Hey! I take offense to that! And where do you three think you're going! Get back here! Leon! Cloud! I still have a bone to pick with you!"

"Don't let her catch you, Vincent!"

"I heard that Leon, and you're all gonna die!"

I chased them around the entire town, even around the square, several times until I got extremely tired and I simply _had_ to rest.

Leon was physically fit, and exercised three times a day. On top of that, he can be really evasive when he wants to.

Cloud, on the other hand, had his abilities enhanced by the Mako, along with being a SOLDIER, and trying to catch him was a futile effort to begin with. I always get Tifa or Aerith distract him when I move in for the kill…

Vincent, the ex-Turk, also enhanced with Mako - although a different kind - is also very elusive, and he's so fast it's like trying to catch a bullet-train. Impossible to catch.

"Damn those bastards… they got away…"

They knew damn well I was going to kick their asses as soon as I caught them.

So why do they always run?

Huh… _men_…

…

…


	28. I'll Never Understand Women

**Banshee: Here's chapter 28. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OC and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Eight: I'll Never Understand Women…

* * *

Hey everybody, it's me, Axel.

I know that Saru is always narrating this story, but she wanted to take a break, and decided to let me tell the story from my point of view.

Alright, let's get this story underway!

…

What is it with women, anyway?

For one, they're emotional.

For example: Saru… I'm surprised she's not bipolar…

She's always having these mood swings, and what's worse is that she always takes it out on me.

That's just her way of showing affection..

But you all know that she's completely in love with me; she's just too shy to admit it.

Ow! What the-! A rolling pin?

(Saru: "Just tell the damn story!")

Fine! I will!

…

…

You know how a woman is mentioning all the bad things about men. But women have plenty of faults too.

One: They're emotional. They cry and get mad at every little thing, and they take it out on the nearest person… mainly a guy.

Here's an example:

Women always have this thing every month that they call 'periods.' That is a time when a woman is more uptight than usual… and by 'uptight,' I mean 'frighteningly aggressive…'

Well, it was Saru's 'time of the month' - as she calls it - and she was more prone to anger than usual. You know it usually takes a lot to get her annoyed or make her angry. But when she's PMSing, it's time to go hide in the nearest nuclear bomb shelter…

And sometimes, even **then** you're not safe…

…

- FLASHBACK -

...

_I was busy playing on my DS, as usual, when Saru came bursting into the room looking frantic, as if she was looking for something._

_Maybe if I could walk really quiet-like, then maybe I could esca-_

_"Axel, have you seen my glasses?"_

_Ah, damn it… she caught me…_

_I hate being around Saru when she's PMSing… she always hits me…_

_"So you're glasses are missing. It's no big deal."_

_"Yes. It's a big deal. A very, **very** big deal. I can't see a thing without them!"_

_Suddenly, she went through a complete change in mood, from frantic to angry in a millisecond._

_"You don't understand, I **have** to find them! You **stole** them, didn't you! You stole my glasses, you thief!"_

_"What! No I didn't! If anything, you lost them!"_

_"What are you yelling at me for?" Saru exclaimed, sobbing uncontrollably in a fit of sudden sadness and despair. "I just asked you if you saw my glasses anywhere, and you jumped down my throat! 'Cu… 'Cuz you know that I can't see very well without them… You're so mean!"_

_"Saru, please stop crying…"_

_I watched again as she went into another mood change._

_"But fussing over it isn't going to make it any better. I know what I'll do! I'll go make some brownies! I love brownies!" She squeaked happily with a smile on her face as she skipped out of the room, leaving me in a daze._

_Wow… I just saw her go through four different moods in less than thirty seconds…_

_"That's it… no more caffeine from now on… I think I'm starting to lose it…"_

…

- END FLASHBACK -

...

See what I mean?

Women are emotional.

Secondly, women are self-conscious.

Being a guy, I could care less about how big my butt looks. If you ask me, women are more weight-conscious than men, because they are always pressured to be perfect like the celebrities they're always seeing in movies. I'm not saying that it's easy for guys, but it's tougher for girls.

Trust me, being thin as a twig is not attractive.

Whoever thought of that idea should have been thrown off a cliff… with sharp rocks at the bottom.

I like my women curvy…

Here is an example of self-consciousness:

…

- FLASHBACK -

...

_"Saru, come on already, we're gonna be late for the movie!"_

_"Keep your pants on, Clyde, I'm coming!"_

_Saru came out of her room, wearing her same old pants, but she was constantly turning around, constantly looking at her ass._

_"What is it Saru?"_

_"Hey, you guys… Do these pants make my butt look big?"_

_"Does it really matter?"_

_She scoffed._

_"Huh! Of course it does! Now answer me honestly. Do these pants make my butt look big?"_

_"Yes."_

_We turned around and saw Saïx, who was just passing through, and who also just happened to walk by just as Saru asked that question. She glared at him, but he just shrugged and continued down the hall as we shot glares at each other._

_Man, sometimes I just couldn't stand that guy.._

_Superior's pet…_

_Anyway, back to the story._

_"No, your butt does not look big."_

_"Is it really? Is it really not that big, or are you just saying that?"_

_"No, Saru.."_

_"Guys, the movie's gonna start in little over forty-five minutes, **we have to go**."_

_"I think you look beautiful no matter what you wear."_

_"Aw, thank you Demyx."_

_"Kiss up.. Ouch!" I yelped in pain as Saru hit me in the head with her fist._

_"At least he's being honest! The only thing that ever comes out of your mouth is **sarcasm**!"_

_"And the only thing that ever comes out of yours is an insult… usually one that's directed at me…"_

_She hit me again._

_"That's because you keep asking for it!"_

_"How do you know Demyx isn't lying?"_

_"Because he's a sweetheart, and he's the kind of person that couldn't tell a lie even if his life depended on it. And besides that, you're the biggest liar in existence! The only person that lies more than you is Luxord, and he lies the most when he's playing **poker**!"_

_"You're **supposed** to lie in poker!"_

_"Sheesh… you'd think that these two are married…" Roxas muttered quietly to Demyx, as the nocturne nodded his head in agreement._

_"At least you should tell the truth when I ask you an important question!"_

_"And I did! Why should it matter?"_

_"Guys, come on…"_

_"Do you want me to lie to you? Then fine! Your butt's huge! Oh my God, I have never seen such a huge ass! Fat-ass! Fat-ass! Fat-ass! Does lying make you feel better?"_

_"Uh… we'll just meet you guys at the theater, okay?" Roxas interrupted, grabbing Demyx and jumping into a portal as he saw that I was about to get my ass kicked._

_The only thing I remembered was being punched in the face by a huge boxing glove before everything went black.._

_That day, I learned a most important lesson.._

_And that is…_

Never _call a woman 'fat…'_

…

- END FLASHBACK -

...

Women are very confusing, and strange creatures. Some men understand them, and some men don't. And if you don't understand women very well, then you'll never have a chance in an argument with one. The only thing worse than arguing with a woman, is making a woman angry.

An angry woman is… very scary…

I might never understand women, but I'll tell you one thing:

It's fun to try.

…

...


	29. Something Special

**Banshee: Here's chapter 29. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OC the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Something Special

* * *

Hey everybody, it's me again. After narrating twenty-seven chapters, Saru decided to take a longer break. Narrating that many chapters can really wear a person out. And since she thought I did _such_ a good job, she asked me to narrate again.

Whoo!

Go me! Go me! Go-Ouch! A… frying pan?

(Saru: "Just tell the damn story, you idiot!")

Fine!

…

…

This month, Saru is now officially seventeen. The Organization just has a habit of celebrating birthdays a few months early.

And, of course, I decided I would do something special for her.

I was going to make her a special birthday dinner!

(Saru: "Ha! You wish!")

Will you let me tell the story!

(Saru: "Fine, yeesh.. Please, do continue, Mr. 'Mighty' Flurry of Dancing Flames..")

I am ignoring the sarcasm in that last comment…

Yeah.. She digs me… you can tell..

(Saru: -_rolls eyes-_ "Ugh…")

As I was saying, making her dinner would be the perfect opportunity to show her how special she is. After all, she has made the castle a brighter place since she came here. She's like a mother of thirteen, plus Naminé , keeping everything from falling apart and making sure that everything's the way it should be. And I admit, we can sometimes be ungrateful. But the truth is, we're very thankful that she's here, and that she's looking out for us and giving us hope that we'll be able to be whole again.

Uh.. Saru? What are you doing with that tape recorder?

(Saru: "Hm? Oh! Nothing!" _-frantically hides the tape recorder behind her back_-"You may continue.")

Okay…

Now it's time for the story to get underway.

…

…

"Hey Saru, can you guess what day it is?"

Saru looked up from the new DS she got for Christmas, and gave me that 'instant death' look that she gives everyone when they interrupt her 'alone time.'

"What is it Axel? You have thirty seconds to convince me that this isn't a waste of time and that I shouldn't hurt you…"

"Don't you know what day it is?"

"Twenty-eight seconds."

"It's your birthday! You're the big 1-7 now! Isn't that great?"

"Twenty-three seconds."

"I guess what I'm trying to say is.. Uh…"

"Ten seconds."

"What? You said thirty seconds!"

"I did. I just jumped ahead because I really don't like you right now - especially since you're interrupting a very important game of _Pok'emon Diamond_."

"How about I make you something special for your birthday? Hm? A nice dinner, just to show you how special you are!"

From the look Saru was giving me, I would say that she thought that I had lost my mind.

"Did you mind-switch with Demyx again?"

"I'm being serious! Come on! It'll be just the two of us, and I won't try anything funny. Please?"

"Alright! Alright! If it'll make you stop bothering me, then yes! Now go away so I can train for my first gym battle!"

I did as she said, and as soon as I was out of the room I jumped up and down with excitement. Finally, I was going to have some alone time with Saru.

No pets.

No Riku or Demyx.

And definitely _no_ interruptions.

Tonight was going to be _perfect_.

Now all I needed was a nice present…

…

At the mall, Roxas and I were debating on the perfect gift. I dragged Roxas along, since he - besides Zexion - was the one that Saru talked to the most. Therefore, he would be the most likely to know what she would want as a gift.

"Quick, Roxas. What does Saru like?"

"Why are you even asking that question Axel? You know as well I as I do what she likes."

"It has to be something _really_ special, Roxas. It's an older person thing; you wouldn't understand."

He narrowed his eyes at me.

"I'm not _that_ much younger than you."

"I didn't mean it that way Rox, really…"

He just ignored me and suddenly turned his gaze to a small puppy in the window of a pet shop.

"How about a puppy? Saru likes puppies."

"Nah," I replied in a bored fashion, waving it off. "She already has two pets. I doubt Xemnas would let her have _another_ one. Besides, that one's ugly. Saru likes _cute_ puppies."

"She thinks _all_ puppies are cute, Axel."

"How can something that looks like it ran into a wall five-hundred times possibly be cute? What about this one?" I asked, pointing to a small green bird.

"Saru _hates_ birds. Remember what happened with that seagull at the beach?"

Sure, what happened with that seagull _was_ pretty funny…

But that's a story for another time.

"Oh yeah… I remember that…"

"Let's go. You and I both know that Xemnas wouldn't let her have another pet. Why don't we check out the sports store? They have some neat dragon figurines in there."

"Oh yeah! Saru loves dragons! That's perfect! What would I do without you, Rox?"

Roxas just rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath, but I was too preoccupied with Saru's declaration of gratitude for the awesome gift I was about to get her to hear it.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

I grabbed Roxas' arm and we barreled all the way across the mall to find the specific sports store that he had described. There, I bought a small black dragon figurine with bright red jewels for eyes. It was perched on a small stone, holding a red crystal rose in one of its claws.

I got the small dragon gift-wrapped, making my search for the perfect gift complete.

All that was left was the birthday dinner.

…

…

"You really went overboard with this, didn't you?" Saru asked as she looked around, seeing a serious romantic setting, complete with the red candles that you always see in those romantic chick-flicks.

"I just wanted to make tonight as special as possible for the birthday girl." I replied, grinning.

As I pulled out her chair for her, she looked at me with that look she would always give me when she thought I was up to something.

"What's the catch here?"

"There's no catch. I just wanted to do something special for your birthday, is all."

When she was sure that there was no catch, she sat down in the chair and I pushed it in for her.

Tonight was going perfect.

We talked, told jokes, and for the first time in my life I felt like everything was going right for once. But I was proven wrong when a Heartless suddenly appeared on the table, and began to knock everything to the floor. Dishes broke, the candles were in pieces, and we had food splattered all over us.

Two more Heartless followed the first one, and then two more after that. I was extremely pissed off, since I worked _so_ hard to make everything perfect. And for once, I didn't do something stupid to make Saru hit me. Those Heartless were ruining _everything_!

They are _so_ gonna get burned for ruining all my hard work!

And if they broke her present, then they were _definitely_ gonna get it!

"Take the ones on the left! I'll take the ones over here!"

Saru summoned her Keyblade and began to swing it around wildly, chasing the Heartless around the room. I, in turn, brandished my chakrams and followed suit. But I was too busy trying to take out the first Heartless, that I didn't see one coming up behind me.

"Look out!"

Saru took a swing and cut the Heartless clean in half as it dissipated. I opened my mouth to say 'thank you,' but she put her hand up, silencing me.

"You can thank me later! Right now, let's deal with these Heartless before they break everything!"

I nodded in understanding and we proceeded to take out the Heartless one by one.

…

Completely exhausted, we were slumped against each other on the kitchen floor, still covered in - now dry and crusty - food. The room was still a mess, but we would take care of that as soon as we caught our breath. Suddenly remembering Saru's present, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the small gift-wrapped box and holding it in her line of vision.

"Wh… What's this?"

"It's your birthday present.. I got it for you today.."

She took the box from me and slowly peeled off the wrapping paper, and my eyes were wide with anticipation as I waited to see that smile on her face when she saw her gift. Sure enough, her eyes were wide with surprise as she saw the little dragon figurine tucked away safely inside the box.

"Oh Axel… It's amazing… How'd you know I love dragons?"

"Oh, you know… a little birdie told me… That, and you're always saying that you love dragons, and you have a dozen dragon posters, and pictures of dragons, etc."

"Wow.. I guess I couldn't have been more obvious…"

"Well, at least I was able to find you something that doesn't leave a mess on your floor…" When she looked at me funny, I continued, "My first choice was a puppy…"

She scoffed and smiled, getting up while holding the small trinket with care.

"You are such an idiot."

At first, I was disappointed that things didn't go as planned, but then I felt her give me a quick kiss on the cheek and I never felt happier. It wasn't like the kiss she gave me at the Christmas party, but hey, you can't be too picky when her kisses are hard to come by… if you're a red-headed Nobody, who controls fire, and whose name is 'Axel…' Which is… me…

But what can I say?

She's starting to come around.

I'm just glad that I could make her happy on her birthday - her extremely important seventeenth birthday.

That's what it's all about, isn't it?

…

...


	30. Get Well Soon

**Banshee: Here's chapter 30! This one's a hoot! This time, _Demyx_ is narrating the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OC and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty: Get Well Soon

* * *

Hey everyone, it's me, Demyx. Saru is gonna need a longer break, since she caught a little cold. But she'll be right as rain in a few days!

Do you like music?

I love music!

I love to play music, and dance with my water clones, and-

(Axel: "Just tell the damn story, Demyx!")

Okay, no need to shout!

…

…

Saru had to stay in bed, since there was no way that I was going to allow her to go to school with a bad cold. She's my bestest friend, and I hate seeing her look so… un-well…

"Guys, it's just a cold.. Don't you think this is a little much?"

She was laying in her bed with a cold rag on her forehead, a thermometer in her mouth, and a bowl of hot soup on the nightstand.

"No talking with the thermometer in your mouth."

I know that sometimes the others call me an idiot, but there are times where I prove them wrong. I know plenty of big words! At least Saru-chan knows that I'm smart.

Anyway, on with the story before I ramble on too much.

Saru caught a cold a few days ago, and it started to get worse as time went by. It all started with a sore throat and some coughing fits, then it went to even worse coughing fits and a fever. And then, she got so bad that she became bedridden. She was so sick, she couldn't even go to the dance.

Then again, none of us could go because Xemnas was saying how it 'interfered' with the 'Grand Master Plan,' or whatever it was… big meanie…

It was really too bad, though, because I was really looking forward to going with Saru…

Oh well, can't dwell on the past, now, can we?

I watched Saru just lay there, sick as a dog, and I had to resist the very powerful urge to cry. As everyone knows, almost everything makes me cry. She was pale as a ghost, and touching her skin was like touching a dead clam.

She hasn't even insulted Axel yet today!

If she hasn't done that, then there's _really_ something wrong with her…

"Is she okay?"

"Only one way to find out.."

"Roxas, don't-!"

"SARU, AXEL'S RAIDING YOUR PANTIES AGAIN!"

All of a sudden, Saru's fist shot up and collided with Axel's face, sending him flying across the room. He landed in the same spot as last time, even though the damage hasn't been repaired yet. After that, Saru fell back onto the bed, and attempted to get back to sleep. Sometimes I feel sorry for Axel when Saru hits him, but hey, a lot of times he brings it upon himself.

"Yup… She's still the same…"

"Why'd you do that, Rox? I thought you were my best friend!"

Roxas just shrugged.

"You know as well as I do that you doing something wrong is the only thing that she'll respond to in such a violent way. That, and the fact that she can't go one day without insulting you, beating you up, calling you names, and other methods that cause you bodily pain. That's like the fact that she can't go one day without calling Leon 'Squall.'"

"You know Axel, he has a point…"

"Shut up, Demyx…"

"Saru, Axel told me to shut up!"

"Not now Demyx, 'Mommy' is trying to sleep!"

…

We spent about forty-five minutes in Saru's room, watching as she was trying to fall asleep. But her constant coughing was keeping her awake. Finally, her coughing fits calmed down and she was able to have some peaceful moments before she could finally sleep.

For a few minutes, we whispered back and forth, being careful not to wake her up.

"… Is she asleep yet?"

"How should I know?"

"At least the coughing stopped…"

"I hate seeing her like this… Is there anything we can do to help her?"

"HOW ABOUT SOME F-ING PEACE AND QUIET! Come on guys, I can hear every word you're saying!" Saru yelled out suddenly, throwing one of her beanie babies at us, then bundling back up into her blankets.

"Maybe we should leave her alone now, guys…"

"It _is_ getting late.. Come on, Axel.."

"Aw, but she looks so _cute_ when she's sleeping…"

"ALL OF YOU LEAVE **_NOW_**, OR SO HELP ME, YOU'LL FIND OUT HOW IT FEELS TO LOSE YOUR VIRGINITY TO MY SIZE SEVEN BOOT! NOW **_GET OUT_**!"

Scrambling like frightened chickens, we left her room, tripping over each other in the process.

There's nothing scarier than a pissed off Saru…

…

…

The next morning, I watched as Saru slowly opened her eyes and looked at me with a hint of disdain.

"What is it Demyx?"

"Morning, Sleepy-Head! I made you some chicken noodle soup!"

"Demyx.. Do you have _any_ idea what time it is?"

"Yeah, it's thirty minutes after seven."

"WHAT! I'm gonna be late for school!"

As she sat up on the bed, I grasped her shoulder and pushed her back down, as a hint that she wasn't getting out of that bed.

"Oh no you don't, missy. You are in no condition to go to school yet."

"But…"

"No 'buts.' You're sick. I asked one of the other members to take care of you while me, Roxas, and Axel are gone and I don't want you to over-exert yourself. Your body needs plenty of rest, and lots of tender love and care. We want you to get better."

"…"

She was silent for a moment.

"… Fine… I know I'm gonna regret this, but… who did you ask?"

"Zexion of course, silly, who else?"

Of course I asked Zexion to take care of her. Who did you think I was gonna ask?

You thought I was gonna ask Saïx to take care of her, didn't you?

You silly people…

"I just have one more question."

"Fire away."

"Could you get me a popsicle? Or maybe some ice cream? My throat is sore…"

"Okie-dokie, Saru-chan! What kind?"

"Chocolate, please!"

"Coming right up!"

I ran out of the room to get her the desired chocolate dairy treat, not even realizing what was going to happen at school today.

…

- At School -

…

School was super boring without Saru there. Without Saru around to get in the way, Monique went back to trying to get to Axel. I never did like her… I have a good judge of character, you know. She's a scary ogre-lady with fish-breath..

I didn't even attempt to participate in gym, since Saru wasn't there to make the current activity _fun_. At that time, I just felt like warping back to the castle since there was no point in trying to have fun. The whole time, I was fine-tuning my sitar, coming up with new tricks to show Saru when we got back to the castle. I never even paid attention when numerous kick-balls flew in my direction, a few of them almost hitting me.

In science, I wasn't even paying attention even when we were working with dangerous chemicals. The teacher even asked me to sit and wait quietly - and _not_ participate - until class was over. Everyone knows that I'm a complete idiot when it comes to numbers, formulas, and equations. My weakness against math was the same as Axel's weakness against water; it was something I really didn't like, and it wasn't something I really cared for. As far as I'm concerned, musicians don't need to know trigonom… uh.. I mean… triggy… um… fancy number arrangements…

Health was worse. We had a test, and I _failed_! For the first time in the school year, I failed a test. Wanna know why it was only my first failure? Because every time a test or quiz was coming around, Saru would always help me study. Without Saru, I was as clueless as ever. How was I supposed to know what 'intercourse' is? And what the heck is a 'uterus!' I can't even _spell_ either of those words, let alone what they are and what they mean! I miss Saru… she makes me feel _smart_…

The worst part of Saru not being at school was the fact that she wasn't there to be my partner in history. She's so good at history, and I'm so… not good… Axel and Roxas always partnered up for group work, and so did Sora and Riku. That left me alone since Saru wasn't there to be my partner like she always is. This time, I was partnered with… someone _else_… someone that _wasn't_ Saru… and this person was just as clueless in history as _I_ am!

I wonder what Saru's doing right now…

She's probably torturing Zexion, like she always tortures everyone in the Organization… except for me!

…

- Lunch -

...

"Demyx? You okay? You look a little… pale…"

The others were watching me warily as I picked at my lunch tray, not even bothering to eat any of my food.

"So do you guys…" I replied, pointing to Axel and Roxas.

They were looking a little pale as well.

"We must be catching Saru's cold."

After Roxas said this, Sora, Riku and Kairi slowly inched their chairs to the other side of the table, taking their food with them. I couldn't say that I blamed them.

Saru has a pretty nasty cold…

I resumed picking at my food, anxiously waiting for the day to end.

…

- After School -

...

When we returned to the castle, we found Zexion sitting on the living room couch reading another one of his books. Seeing that Saru was nowhere in sight, we opened our mouths to ask where she was, but Zexion saw this coming and answered before the question before it was even asked.

"She's in her room sleeping. I wouldn't recommend bothering her."

"How long-"

"She's been sleeping since ten."

"Did she-"

"Yes, she had her soup. Three bowls of it, in fact."

"Well how about-"

"I took her temperature four times. Her fever's slowly going down."

"And the-"

"I made sure that she had plenty of crackers to absorb the stomach acid."

"Well did she-"

"- Throw up? No. I restricted her diet to food that isn't too heavy for her stomach."

"And-"

"Yes, I read her a story, gave her some medicine, fed Hazel and Momo, made sure she got her daily dose of music... I even tucked her in before she went to bed. Now will you please stop asking questions and let me read?"

We had no choice but to oblige, since he had answered every one of our questions. According to him, she would be fine in a day or two. Hearing some noise, we turned around and saw Saru in her Heartless pajamas, holding Hazel in one arm and rubbing her eyes with the other.

"Hey Sleepy-Head. How'd you sleep?"

She yawned first, then answered, "Good. I don't feel nauseas anymore."

"That's awesome, Saru!"

"Please, not so loud.."

"Sorry… So, you're getting better, huh?"

Saru nodded her head slowly, smiling.

"Do you still feel like yourself?"

"Only one way to find out.."

"Please, Roxas, don't… not again-"

"Saru, Axel called you fat!"

In an instant, she grabbed a rolling pin out of nowhere and chucked it at Axel who couldn't dodge it in time. It hit him square in the face as he landed on the floor in a heap, leaving me stunned. That was an unusually fast reaction time…

"Yup.. She's fine."

"How could you, Roxas?"

…

- About A Week Later -

…

Saru ended up making a wonderful recovery, and was back to her normal self. I couldn't say the same for Axel, Roxas and me though…

We were all huddled on the couch, coughing and sneezing numerous times as Saru brought us some soup and cherry cough medicine. Holding up a spoon, she poured the appropriate amount of medicine and held it to us with a smile.

"Alright boys, time for your medicine."

We scrunched together in horror and tried to inch away, but she caught us and practically forced the artificially flavored medicine down our throats as we choked and gagged at the taste. Afterwards, we chugged down the soup in an effort to get the cherry taste out of our mouths. As she spotted Zexion walking into the kitchen, she stopped him and asked that dreaded question…

"Hey Zexion, could you-"

"-Take care of them while you're at school? Sure thing."

"Thanks Zex. I appreciate it."

Then she added with a malicious grin, "And make sure they take their medicine."

"Of course. It'll be my pleasure.." Zexion answered with an equally evil smile that made us cringe and quiver in fear.

Saru grabbed her backpack and slung it over her shoulder, walking out of the room with Momo by her side - no doubt to create a portal for her.

Before she left the room, she waved at us and said with a sickeningly sweet smile, "Have a nice day with Uncle Zexy, boys…"

Our faces paled in horror.

"NOOOOOOO! TAKE US WITH YOU!"

…

…


	31. Tokens of Love and Friendly Advice pt 1

**Banshee: Here's chapter 31. The Valentine's Day chapter! Yay!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OC and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-One: Tokens of Love and Friendly Advice

Part One

* * *

Hello everyone, I'm back. I trust that Axel and Demyx did an exceptional job narrating while I was sick?

Yes?

Good.

As you know, February Fourteenth is the magical day when people celebrate love. I only wish that was possible, living with non-existent people that have no real emotion…

I never really liked Valentine's Day, since I never had someone that liked me.

Now, I have someone that likes me so much, it's _suffocating_… and you know who I'm talking about…

I'm still not sure about my feelings for Axel. After all, I still have small crushes on Demyx and Riku. But either way, they all have good qualities of their own.

Demyx may be a little slow and naïve, but he is very sweet and sensitive. He's a good singer, and he always finds a way to make me smile by making water clones with his sitar. He has that light about him that makes him a great and fun person to be around, and it's nice to find someone who can cry with you when a movie gets sad and emotional.

Riku is a bit shy and secretive - and also a little competitive, but when you get to know him he's dependable, passionate, and he's always putting others before himself. That, and he's strong, loyal, and he has a good sense of humor. Making him laugh is always fun.

Axel can be a little possessive, easily jealous, and a little harsh when he's being honest, but he has a good sense of humor - even if it's a little twisted - and pulling pranks with him is so much fun. He's daring, true to his word, and he is always trying to do something special for me - even if he tries too hard.

Having three guys that like you can be a little bit of a pain in the butt sometimes, especially when one of them - a.k.a. Axel - gets jealous easy. But I forced a truce between Axel and Riku, and Demyx is too naïve to notice his feelings.

But I still have a strange feeling in the pit of my gut that this Valentine's Day wasn't going to be an easy trip for me…

…

…

"Ne, Saru-chan, what are you doing for Valentine's Day?"

"Hm?"

I looked up from my ramen to look at Demyx, who was looking at me with a big smile on his face. Love was something that Nobodies never got into, but Demyx is the kind of person that gets excited about everything.

"Nothing."

"Huh? Why not? Isn't there someone you like?"

I lowered my gaze so Demyx couldn't see the saddened look in my eyes. If he did see, he would get worried and waste his time trying to make me feel better about it.

"You know the story Demyx. Every time I found someone I liked… I was the one who ended up alone in the end…"

With that, I picked up my ramen cup and left the room, ignoring that concerned look in Demyx's eyes as he saw me leave.

"Saru-chan…"

…

- The Next Day, At School -

...

"Where's Saru?"

"How come she's not in school today?"

I couldn't go to school the next day, since I felt too sick to my stomach to even get out of bed. As Valentine's Day was coming closer, I was thinking of anything to get me out of school and away from the loneliness that it usually caused for me. The others wouldn't understand, having no real feelings…

"Valentine's Day? That's what's got Saru all sad and depressed?"

Demyx nodded.

"Well then, let's do something to cheer her up!"

"I wouldn't be that optimistic, Riku," Roxas interrupted, tapping his pencil repeatedly. "You guys aren't that keen on 'sensitivity,' you know.. You tend to upset her more than you cheer her up…"

Axel, Demyx and Riku put their heads down in defeat, because what Roxas said was true. Most men really aren't that sensitive and are often unaware of their own mistakes until it's too late.

"You know what you need? Some advice."

"Yeah, we know that, but… who to ask?"

…

- In Namine's Room -

…

"Saru's upset?" Naminé gasped, looking up from her sketchbook.

Like my room, Naminé's was covered with pictures. But unlike me - whose wall decorations consisted of posters and anime knick-knacks, she decorated her walls with pictures she has drawn throughout her entire existence.

"That's awful…"

"Yeah, and we need some advice… we don't know anything about a girl's feelings. And… since you're a girl and all… Please, we really need help!"

Naminé put a finger to her chin thoughtfully, waiting for an idea to come into her head. When an idea came, she only smiled at them and tried to continue her drawing.

"I may not know everything about Saru, but I do know that she is very sensitive… as strange as that may seem to you. All you need to do is do something special for her. I would recommend a trip to an amusement park; going on rides always cheers her up. One word of advice though… don't try too hard, okay?"

The three boys nodded feverishly and zipped out of the room, leaving Naminé alone. She shook her head in pity, and flipped the page she was currently working on to start a new picture. As she dragged her pencil across the paper, she sighed.

"I only hope that they listen to me…"

…

- The Next Day -

…

Axel, Demyx, and Riku sat alone at the lunch table the next day, looking at a flyer they found in the hallway that advertised a Valentine's Day event at the amusement park. Three sets of eyes were scanning it carefully, and three separate light bulbs clicked on above their heads as they smiled with glee at their new-found plan.

"A Valentine's Day event? That sounds perfect!" Riku exclaimed, as Axel and Demyx nodded in agreement.

"Yeah! Saru will love it!"

"I'll love what?"

Their faces paled as they heard my voice, and frantically began shoving the piece of paper in each other's hands until Axel was the one in possession of it. The redhead smiled nervously and hid the flyer behind his back, crumpling it up in his hand.

I had decided to come to school, but only because Zexion cared about my education and practically forced me to go.

Damn him to hell…

"What're you three up to?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at them.

Riku began to laugh.

"Nothing Saru. Whatever made you think we were up to something?" He asked, prodding the two Nobodies on either side of him with his elbows as a hint to keep quiet.

"That's easy… you were in a huddle with these two dimwits, whispering and looking over your shoulder every five seconds. Don't think I don't notice these things."

Axel, Demyx, and Riku gulped as their faces faded from pale into a purple/blue.

"It's… nothing special…"

I narrowed my eyes at them suspiciously, but decided to let it be for now. Whatever they had to hide, it was probably something stupid anyway.

…

- Valentine's Day -

…

February Fourteenth.

That dreaded day had finally came.

Instead of going to school, like Zexion wanted - no… _told_ me to, I decided to hide out in the World That Never Was, listening to some music. Turning up the volume up to maximum, I wanted to make sure I heard nothing but the loud, melodious sound of rock music. I'm not fond of any other genre of music, except for songs by Japanese artists - because those songs happened to be the themes to my favorite anime shows - and rock music seemed to match my mood more accurately than country or pop.

As two o'clock rolled around, I breathed a sigh of relief; school lets out at two.

Unfortunately, those three dimwits knew where to find me.

A portal appeared in front of me, and Axel, Demyx, and Riku's heads appeared out of the darkness. The corners of my mouth curled into a sneer, showing my slightly pointed teeth, and growled low in my throat in a threatening manner. Though that clearly meant 'don't-bother-me-or-I'll-rip-your-throat-out,' they still tried to get me to enter the portal.

Too bad my CD player couldn't go up any higher…

"Come on Saru… Please come with us…"

I growled again, backing away slowly.

Riku sighed and let his shoulders fall.

"It's obvious she isn't going to come willingly."

"You have a point… Sorry about this Saru…"

The only thing I felt was Axel's fingers pressing onto my neck and a slight pressure before I felt my entire body go numb. I slumped to the ground, unconscious, and the redhead picked me up and slung me over his shoulder as he carried me through the portal.

…

- A Few Hours Later -

...

I woke up in a few hours - at least that's what it _felt_ like - with my eyelids feeling like they were being weighed down by lead. But when I opened my eyes, everything was still black. I tried to move my arms but then I realized - I couldn't!

"Those bastards! They must have knocked me out, then tied me up while I was unconscious! Damn them all to hell!"

"AXEL! DEMYX! RIKU! WHAT THE **_HELL_** IS GOING ON! YOU'D **_BETTER_** HAVE A GOOD EXPLANATION FOR THIS!"

"Morning Sunshine," Axel's voice mused. "Sleep well?"

I couldn't see because I was blindfolded, but it didn't take a genius to know it was him.

"Axel, you bastard! What's going on!"

"Shush Saru," I heard Demyx's voice reprimand me. "Watch your language! There are children here."

At first, I didn't understand what me meant, but when I listened, I could hear children's voices and carnival music. The kind of music you hear on a… merry-go-round?

"Where the heck did they take me?"

I felt the blindfold around me eyes loosen, and I could finally see what was going on around me.

We were at an amusement park.

What really caught my attention was the pink, white, and red decorations and hearts everywhere and my eyes widened in shock.

It was the Valentine's Day event at the amusement park!

The very day that filled my heart with dread had invaded one of my favorite places to forget the dramas of being a teenager in high school. I felt my knees knock together as they suddenly felt weak, almost falling to the ground if Riku hadn't caught me.

"Saru? Are you okay?" He asked worriedly, making me look him in the eye.

I shook my head suddenly and looked again, taking a deep breath in the process. The silver-haired teen next to me wasn't sure if I was shaking my head 'no,' or just coming back to reality since I just spaced out at that very moment.

"Yeah. I'm okay, I'm just… surprised…" I replied, getting up onto my feet, with Riku's help. "You three went through all that trouble just to take me to an event at the amusement park? Why didn't you just say so?"

"Well," Demyx began, twiddling with his fingers. "You never gave us a chance to tell you.."

"Yeah. You were too busy blaring rock music in your ears and growling at us like a dog.."

I glared at Axel, and the pyro just shrugged and looked away, taking little glances back at me every now and then.

"What do you want to do first, Saru-chan?" Demyx asked suddenly, jumping up and down in excitement and anticipation.

"Well…"

…

- In The House of Glass -

...

"This is _so_ pointless…" Axel muttered angrily to himself as he, Demyx, Riku and I were wandering through the house of glass.

"What are you complaining about?" Demyx giggled, nimbly maneuvering his way through the glass maze. "This place is fu-"

THUD!

I turned around suddenly and found that Demyx had collided with one of the glass frames. Axel laughed, and Riku just stood silent and shook his head as I helped the nocturne to his feet.

"You know, Demyx.. The trick here is to _feel_ where you're going so you _don't _walk into the wall."

Suddenly, I felt a pair of hands being dragged slowly up and down my sides as I quivered and shook in severe discomfort. And I didn't need to look to know who it was. My fist shot out and collided with Axel's head as he fell down to the floor in a complete daze.

"I meant the **_walls_**, you pervert!"

I looked around and found the three of them were as clueless in this glass house as Demyx in chemistry class. Demyx was feeling one of the glass walls pretending to be a mime, and Riku was busy staring into space with a flat and indifferent look on his face.

Helping Axel get up off the floor, I grabbed Demyx's hand and instructed Axel and Riku to hold hands also. It was obvious that we weren't gonna get out of there like this… They seemed reluctant to do it, but when they saw my glare, they hastily reached for each other. Linking all of our hands together, I used my free hand to feel for glass as we maneuvered our way out of the glass house.

Upon departing from the house of glass, the three boys breathed a sigh of relief at the thought of finally being out of that hellhole.

"So…" I began, getting their attention. "What do you want to do now?"

When Axel looked at me with a devilish smirk, I smacked him upside the head as he yelped in pain. I had a feeling that I knew what he was thinking of, but I don't think I can say it in front of mixed company…

…

- Later -

...

We decided to pay a visit to the games because the three of them wanted to win a gift for me. And as much as I said that it wasn't necessary and that they didn't have to, the more they insisted.

Finally, we came upon a classic game where you throw a ball at a stack of cans. Axel, Demyx, and Riku consulted among themselves who would be the one to play the game and win the prize. Since Riku probably has better aim than either of the two Nobodies, the silver-haired teen was left to the task. He paid the amount of munny required to play, and picked up one of the three plastic balls that the vendor laid out for him. Taking careful aim, Riku closed one eye to better his accuracy and raised his arm to throw. Throwing with the strength and power of a baseball MVP, he released the ball and it rocketed towards the cans, striking the little pyramid in the middle knocking them all down. The vendor stared in shock, and nearby girls were giggling and - no doubt - gossiping about how strong and cute he was.

The vendor pointed to the prize shelf and told Riku to choose any prize of said shelf. He chose the little stuffed panda and once he received it, he gave it to me, blushing.

"Damn, Riku. Where'd you learn to throw that good?"

"You think I spent all that time on Destiny Islands competing with Sora in just _swordplay_?"

"No wonder everyone wants you on their team in dodge ball…"

Riku watched as I repeatedly turned the panda plush over, as if examining it.

Worried that he picked the wrong prize, he asked, "Do you like it? I could get you another one if you want…"

"Hm? Of course I like it, Riku. It's adorable; I love pandas. Thank you."

Riku blushed a darker shade of pink when I kissed him on the cheek, and Axel began to growl in jealousy. It was almost like his hair was standing on absolute end as his green eyes narrowed dangerously. But remembering the deal he and Riku made with me, he kept his jealousy to a minimum. That trip to the amusement park was all to make me happy, and if I was happy, that was all that really mattered to either of them.

"As long as she's happy…"

…

…

**Banshee: Ooh, what's gonna happen? I was going to have this one big chapter, but since I did all the other holiday chapter in two parts I decided "Ah, what the hell," and separated them into two parts. Part two will be up shortly. Ja-ne!**


	32. Tokens of Love and Friendly Advice pt 2

**Banshee: I am _so_ sorry it took so long. I kind of had a hard time writing this one. I'm not that good at writing romantic scenes.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I only own my OC and the plot. So no sue. I don't own the song either. The song is 'Earth Angel' from the 'Back to the Future' movie. I don't own that either.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Two: Tokens of Love and Friendly Advice

Part Two

* * *

Recap:

_"Damn, Riku. Where'd you learn to throw that good?"_

_"You think I spent all that time on Destiny Islands competing with Sora in just_

_swordplay?"_

_"No wonder everyone wants you on their team in dodge ball…"_

_Riku watched as I repeatedly turned the panda plush over, as if examining it._

_Worried that he picked the wrong prize, he asked, "Do you like it? I could get you another one if you want…"_

_"Hm? Of course I like it, Riku. It's adorable; I love pandas. Thank you."_

_Riku blushed a darker shade of pink when I kissed him on the cheek, and Axel began to growl in jealousy. It was almost like his hair was standing on absolute end as his green eyes narrowed dangerously. But remembering the deal he and Riku made with me, he kept his jealousy to a minimum. That trip to the amusement park was all to make me happy, and if I was happy, that was all that really mattered to either of them._

_"As long as she's happy…"_

…

…

During the course of three hours, Axel, Demyx, and Riku won me seven stuffed animals and I had to send for Momo to bring them back to the castle.

Also, we went on several rides at a time. I may not have felt sick, but I had to sit and wait while they got their bearings back for fear of barfing on the next ride. The only ride left was the… uugghh… Ferris wheel…

You may not know this already, but I am _terrified_ of heights.

And when I say 'terrified,' I mean '**_terrified_**.'

When the time finally came to ride the giant wheel, I suddenly paled and looked for an excuse - _any_ excuse - to not go on that ride.

"Why don't you wanna go on the Ferris wheel, Saru?"

"… I… I…" I stuttered nervously.

Then I spotted a hot dog stand and an idea clicked in my head.

"I'm… hungry? Yes! I'm hungry! Why don't we get something to eat?"

They shared suspicious looks with each other, but decided that getting some food would probably be the best thing to do; they were getting pretty hungry themselves anyway.

…

- A Couple Minutes Later -

...

"Is something wrong Saru? You're not eating…"

I looked up from picking at my fried noodles, and saw Demyx looking at me with a worried expression on his face.

"It's nothing, it's just… too hot…"

"They're _fried_ noodles Saru, they're _supposed_ to be hot; otherwise they'll get hard and no one will wanna eat 'em."

Axel stared at me for a moment, and I knew that he could tell that I was lying about being hungry. He's the kind of person that can see right through you, no matter how good of a liar you are. And as he said when we first met… I'm a _really_ bad liar. So it was like he was looking through glass.

"You're not really hungry… _are_ you?" He asked in a serious tone that made me flinch.

"Oh no,"

I thought, panicking. _"He figured it out…"_

Riku and Demyx looked confused at first, but they finally understood when they saw my reaction, as well as my sudden lack of words.

"Is there something you're not telling us, Saru?"

I flinched again, but said nothing.

"Are you… afraid of heights?"

My entire face paled, as they had figured out why I came up with the 'I'm hungry' excuse. Suddenly, without thinking, I got up out of my seat and broke out into a run, crying in the process. At that moment, I wanted to be as far away from them as possible. They attempted to follow me, but the crowd prevented them from catching up.

"Saru! Wait!"

I ignored them calling me and continued to run, even when my legs were aching and my lungs were on fire. Also, I had left my phone back at the bench but I didn't care. The last thing I wanted right then was being called constantly. What I really wanted was to be alone and _away_ from that ride. I finally found somewhere to hide, on the other side of the park, where there was an opening in the fence. Running through the opening, I found a tree and hid behind it, crouching down and hugging my knees close to my chest as I continued to cry.

"Oh no, we lost her… Where'd she go?"

"I don't get it… why would she run off like that?"

"What do we do?"

"You two stay here," Axel ordered, creating a portal and preparing to step into it. "I'll find someone that can help us find Saru."

The portal disappeared, leaving Demyx and Riku alone, both of them fearing the worst in what could have happened to me.

Suddenly, a new portal appeared and Axel walked out of it with a familiar mass of black and silver following him. It was Momo.

"You brought Momo?"

"He'll be able to track her scent and lead us right to her. Right Momo?"

Momo nodded enthusiastically, and began sniffing the air to find my scent. Finding the scent, he hopped up and down, heading towards the petting zoo with Axel, Riku and Demyx following suit.

…

- Nightfall -

...

I continued to cry, too wrapped up in my sudden depression to hear the three sets of footsteps heading my way. When I heard a twig snap, I renounced making any noise and scrunched myself against the tree so whoever was coming wouldn't see me. All of those moments in the horror movies played themselves back in my head repeatedly as I feared the worst when the footsteps came closer.

"Please don't let them see me… Please don't let them see me…"

It was getting dark, which only made it harder to see, and being out at night always terrified me. I guess it was because of all the stories people would tell about young girls going out at night and never being seen again. I know you're not supposed to believe everything someone says, but it's still a frightening thought.

I was suddenly met with bright yellow eyes, and I let out a terrified scream, scrambling onto my feet in an attempt to run away from whatever those eyes belonged to. It was suddenly too dark to see so it was difficult to know where I was going. As a result, I ended up running into another - larger - body, and I felt a pair of hands grab my arms in a tight grip. I panicked and tried to break free from my unknown attacker, only to have them turn me around so my back was against their chest, their arms holding me tightly as I kicked and screamed.

"Let go of me!"

"Saru, it's me! Riku!"

I gave the shadow behind me a skeptical, distrusting look even though they couldn't see it.

"Oh yeah? _Prove_ it!"

At first there was no response.

"When we first met, I filled your backpack with fish and hermit crabs, threw all your stuff into the lagoon, and I told you Sora did it."

"What! I pushed him off the dock and gave him an atomic wedgie for that! It was _you_! Wait… Riku?"

He nodded, and let me go as I stopped struggling.

"We were really worried about you, Saru. Don't you ever run off like that again."

"I'm sorry…"

"If you're afraid of heights, you could have told us you know.."

"I panicked… I didn't know what else to do."

I felt something tug on my pant leg, and looked down to see Momo looking up at me sympathetically with the eyes that had caused me to freak out earlier. He jumped into my open arms, nuzzling me apologetically for the scare he inflicted on me.

"It's okay Momo; I forgive you. Where's Axel and Demyx?"

"We split up a little while ago to cover more ground. Momo, why don't you go look for them while I keep Saru company?"

Momo nodded and disappeared into the darkness, leaving Riku and me alone. He leaned against a tree, not saying a word until he suddenly felt me hug his torso tightly which startled him. I started to shiver uncontrollably, and he recognized this action as he came to the realization that I was crying again.

"I'm sorry Riku…"

"It's okay… You don't have to be sorry for anything…" He murmured softly, running his hand through my hair to try to calm me down as he used his other arm to pull me closer to him.

"I'm just glad you're safe…"

A flash of light shocked us out of the moment, and we turned to see Axel and Demyx, both with large grins on their faces while the nocturne held his digital camera in his hands.

They had taken a picture of us!

Those bastards!

"Now _that's_ what I call a 'Kodak moment.'" Axel teased, taking the camera from Demyx and looking at the picture with a smirk.

"That's not funny Axel, you nearly gave us a damn heart attack!" I yelled angrily, a vein pulsing on my forehead in irritation.

The redhead just shook it off and the four of us walked back to the park in time to hear the music they began to play. On Valentine's Day, at dusk, they would play romantic songs over the loudspeakers to enhance the atmosphere.

A familiar song began to play over the speakers just as we entered the gate, and I recognized it right off the bat.

_Earth Angel…_

_Earth Angel…_

_Will you be mine?_

"'Earth Angel?' Not bad…"

"So, Saru… Are you ready to ride the Ferris wheel?" Demyx asked, twiddling his fingers nervously. "I mean, if you don't want to, that's okay…"

I looked up at the enormous wheel and took a deep breath, "Let's get this over with…"

_My darling dear, love you all the time._

_I'm just a fool,_

_A fool in love with you…_

We stepped into one of the cars, and my heart started to beat faster when the operator closed the gate and moved us along to fill the next car. There were butterflies in my stomach, so many in fact, that I felt like I was going to throw up at any second. But I felt a hand on mine and saw Demyx, who smiled at me, and I calmed down a little.

"It's okay, Saru. We won't let anything happen to you."

_Earth Angel…_

_Earth Angel…_

_The one I adore…_

As we escalated higher and higher off the ground, I found myself clinging to Riku, who was the closest person to me, as he smiled and gave me a comforting pat on my shoulder.

"Come on Saru. If you keep doing that, you'll miss out on the scenery."

_I fell for you,_

_And I knew,_

_The vision of your loveliness…_

"What does he mean by 'scenery?'"

I was reluctant to find out, but something in the back of my mind egged me on to look. I found myself looking over the edge of the car and seeing everything lit up in brilliant lights, some of them in elaborate designs - the most common being in the shape of a heart.

"Wow… It's beautiful…"

_I hope and I pray,_

_That someday,_

_I'll be the vision of your happiness…_

"You see? We told you it wasn't so bad."

They were right…

It really wasn't…

As we exited the car, it felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I had finally conquered my fear of heights… for the most part…

At least I'm not afraid of riding the Ferris wheel anymore.

"So… What do you wanna do now?"

It was getting late, and the park was getting emptier by the hour. There were a few more couples hanging around, but - for the most part - it was like a ghost town.

"I got an idea. Why don't we go hang out at Destiny Islands, huh? That'd be a nice way to end the day."

"You know, Demyx… that's the best idea you've ever had."

_Earth Angel…_

_Earth Angel…_

_Please be mine…_

Destiny Islands was just as beautiful at night as it was during the day. The water seemed to sparkle in the moonlight and the palm trees were swaying softly in the breeze. The sky was clear and beautiful, and the stars were shining bright. It had the kind of beauty that could only come from a tropical island.

"Wow.. And you live here? Man, Riku, you're lucky for getting to see this all the time."

"I wouldn't say that." Riku replied, shrugging. "When you live here, it's not that big a deal. But I agree; it is very nice."

"It is very pretty, isn't it?"

"Yeah… it's almost as pretty as you are…"

I blushed and looked down at my feet.

No boy ever said that to me before - usually when boys were nice to me, it was because their friends put them up to it or because it was a joke.

But a boy was _actually_ telling me that I'm pretty.

"For once, I can agree with you." Axel said suddenly, smiling.

"Yeah. The island is pretty, but it can't compare to how pretty you are." Demyx smiled.

I blushed even more.

"… Thanks, you guys… that means a lot…"

_My darling dear,_

_Love you all the time…_

"You really are pretty," Demyx began, as he looked at the fish that were swimming in the lagoon. "I can't imagine any guy not liking you."

"It's true. Most guys only talk to me because their friends put them up to it. And all those times I thought someone liked me, it just turned out to be a sick joke. You guys don't know what it's like to have your feelings played with like that; it hurts…"

"How ironic,"

I thought. _"All my life I wanted a boy to say that I was pretty, and I hear it from _three_. Wow… any girl would give up all of their expensive outfits and shoes for something like this…"_

_I'm just a fool,_

_A fool in love, with you…_

"You're right - we _don't_ know what it's like…"

I stared at Axel, unsure of what he was getting at.

"… But no one should feel that kind of pain. Especially not you…"

"Axel…"

Tears were welling up in my eyes.

_I fell for you,_

_And I knew,_

_The vision of your loveliness…_

"Axel's right, Saru-chan. You're really special to us, you know? We hate seeing you so upset…"

"Really, you guys didn't have to do all this.."

"But we wanted to. You shouldn't be alone on _Valentine's Day_, of all days. We just wanted to make sure that you're happy, that's all."

_I hope and I pray,_

_That someday,_

_I'll be the vision of your happiness…_

"Thank you… This means so much to me…"

Suddenly, my eyelids felt heavy and all I could think about was sleeping.

"I'm getting kinda tired… I'm gonna… go… sleep…"

My body slumped against Riku's as I felt myself drifting off into sleep. Riku smiled as he cradled my body against his, and - for once - Axel didn't feel jealous. How could he be? All three of them had succeeded in making me happy that day; there was no reason to be jealous.

"We'd better get her to bed now. It _is_ kinda late."

Demyx nodded in agreement as Axel took me from Riku, carrying me bridal style. He smiled as I cuddled closer to his chest, closer to the warmth of his body, and looked at my sleeping face with a soft expression.

"Where's Sora and Kairi, anyway?"

"They're probably doodling on the walls in the 'secret place' like they always do." Riku scoffed, a slight smile on his face.

"G'night Riku. Take it easy."

Riku waved as a dark portal appeared around Axel, Demyx and I as we were swept into the darkness.

_Earth Angel…_

_Earth Angel…_

_Please be mine…_

"I think we did really well, Axel. What do you think?" Demyx asked as the portal placed us in my room.

Momo and Hazel were sound asleep, too asleep to notice the new bodies that had appeared so suddenly.

"It couldn't have gone any better." Axel replied, setting me down in my bed. "Our goal was to make her happy, wasn't it? And she was… she was happy…"

He pulled the covers up to my shoulders as I snuggled into the mattress, smiling slightly at how adorable I was when I was asleep.

"We should leave her alone now. We _do_ have school tomorrow."

Axel nodded, but his feet just wouldn't move from the spot next to my bed.

For some reason… he couldn't leave just yet…

_My darling dear,_

_Love you all the time…_

As Demyx left, Axel's gaze shifted from my bed to the door, unsure of what he wanted to do. Making up his mind, he planted a small kiss on my forehead before leaving.

He stopped at the door and whispered before closing it, "Happy Valentine's Day, Saru.."

_I'm just a fool,_

_A fool in love, with you…_

Naminé smiled in the confines of her room, as she sensed that the three boys decided to take her advice.

"I'm sure Saru won't forget this Valentine's Day."

Her new drawing consisted of four teenagers with an aura of light surrounding them. All of them were vibrant, full of life, and - most of all - happiness. Proud of her work, Naminé put the picture on the wall to join the others, a smile on her face.

"I'm sure…"

...

...


	33. Saru Gets A Job

**Banshee: Here's chapter 33. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OC and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Three: Saru Gets A Job

* * *

I woke up that morning, feeling completely refreshed. I seriously couldn't remember the last time I was wide awake after sleeping for several hours. Usually, I wake up tired and I need a few minutes.

Oy, I really _am_ a lazy bum…

…

…

Suddenly deciding to take a walk after school, I came across a 'Help Wanted' sign in the window of a building. Quirking an eyebrow, I opened the door and stepped in.

A young girl, about my age, dressed in a uniform walked up to me and asked, "Can I help you?"

"Yeah. Can I speak to the manager, please?"

…

…

"You did _what_!"

"I got a job at the nearby restaurant. What's the big deal?"

Axel banged his fist on the desk, pointing a reprimanding finger at me.

"Are you brain-dead? That's the cheerleading squad's regular hangout. If they find out you're working there, they'll make your life a living hell."

"I am aware of that, Axel. But it's not like they don't do that enough already. I can take care of myself."

"You mean like you lost your cool and jumped her? You took pretty good care of yourself then…"

I glared at Sora.

"That's because she was calling me a scrub. I wasn't going to stand there and let her _insult_ me because she's a cheerleader."

Kairi was trying to lighten the mood by asking a completely off topic question:

"So, when do you start?"

"I start tonight. I'm working as a waitress."

"That's even _worse_! What happens if you end up serving Monique and her squad? They'll _torture_ you!"

"You worry too much Axel… I gotta go get into my uniform. I'll see you guys later."

I walked away as I saw Momo appear at the doorway to teleport me back to the castle.

Of course, I couldn't blame Axel for worrying; for some reason, Monique _hates_ me - especially after I jumped her - and she's bent on making me miserable.

I guess I'll just have to prepare for the worst…

…

…

I fiddled with my uniform at the last minute, and one of the other waitresses walked up to me.

"You're the girl that just got hired, right?"

Cold shivers went up and down my spine as someone did what I hated the most: sneaking up on me. Getting my bearings back, I turned to face the girl, smiling nervously.

"Yeah.. This is my first day on the job…"

"Just relax, don't be nervous. By the way, I'm Miyuki. What's your name?"

"I'm Saru."

"Saru! Miyuki! You can save idle chit-chat for later, but right now you have work to do! Hop to it!"

"Yes sir!" Miyuki and I chimed together as we scrambled to get our little notepads for taking orders.

The night was fairly busy, and my boss was already running me ragged. If I wasn't such a patient person, I probably wouldn't be able to handle all of the snide remarks he made about my work. I got the job done, I was courteous to the customers, what more did he want? I'm not Wonder Woman, you know.

After the table I was serving was cleared, Miyuki walked up to me, looking absolutely ragged.

"Saru-chan, I'm really busy. Can you get that table for me?"

I was about to say 'sure,' when I looked at the table and froze.

There was Monique, with her entire squad, talking on their cell phones and gossiping - most likely about me.

If they saw me, the insults would just pour out.

And I was in _no mood_ to hear it.

"I'm not sure…"

"I would do it myself, but the boss has me really busy. I know you can do it, you've been doing great so far."

I suddenly felt bad and reluctantly agreed, as she hugged me and murmured a 'thank you' before going to receive her customer's orders from the kitchen.

I gulped nervously and walked over to the cheerleader's table and watched as all their eyes were suddenly glued on me, and they turned to look at me one at a time.

"Look who it is, girls. It's little Saru-chan." Monique cooed in a mocking tone as she looked at me with a sickeningly sweet smile.

The rest of her squad snickered and giggled as I did my best to smile - though it wasn't working out; on the inside, I wanted to _puke_.

"What'll you have?" I asked in the most courteous and sincere voice that I could muster.

"We'll have the usual." She answered simply.

"And… what's the usual?"

"Oh, I forgot, you're new here," Monique murmured in fake apology as her face curled into a bigger smile. "We'll have seven light salads, and include some iced teas with that. You can handle that simple order, can't you?"

I didn't need a high IQ to notice the insult that she slipped into that question.

After years of dealing with it, I was able to pick them up like an insult radar.

Growling inwardly, I scribbled the order down on the notepad and began to walk away.

"And don't forget to put some _ice_ in the iced tea, Saru-chan."

I growled again, ignoring the laughing that followed Monique's comment. Storming away, I went into the kitchen to receive the orders.

As I carried their order to the table, I had to resist the urge to spit in their iced tea and just plain drop the tray on them. It was funny to imagine the oh-so-high-and-mighty cheerleaders covered in iced tea and ranch dressing. But I knew I couldn't think that way because if I ever caused any trouble, I would get in trouble with my boss and - most likely - get fired. I just got this job and there was _no way_ I was going to let those stupid cheerleaders get to me.

"Easy Saru… just grin and bear it… grin and bear it…"

If only it were that easy…

…

When the work shift was over, I thanked the heavenly body above for inventing 'closing time.' By the time I got back to the castle, I didn't even say anything to the other members. My feet hurt, I had a headache, and - most importantly - I was frustrated. Apparently Monique complained to my boss, saying that I was rude and obnoxious to her and her friends, and he chewed me out for it. Leave it to that bitch to make something up just to get me in trouble.

And you know who my boss _really_ is?

Monique's _father_.

As if this situation couldn't get any worse…

…

…

When I opened the door to my room I was face-to-face with Axel, who was looking at me sternly with his arms crossed.

"I saw what happened at the restaurant. Didn't I tell you that they were gonna torture you?"

"You were spying on me?" I exclaimed, ignoring Axel's question.

"I had to. I wanted to be there if you needed me."

"I _don't_. This job was _my_ choice, not yours. So stop acting like my father, because you're _not_! Now get out of my room!"

He narrowed his eyes at me, but he walked around me and out of the room without a word. I slammed the door as soon as he left, taking the nearest blunt object and whipping it across the room as it hit the wall with a 'BANG!' That sound kept repeating about ten more times until I finally got tired of throwing things and just collapsed onto my bed and began punching the pillow.

Damn it!

Why does Axel feel the need to butt into my life?

Why can't he just leave me alone?

What is his problem!

"GRAHH! DAMN IT!"

It wasn't easy for me to fall asleep that night…

…

The next morning at breakfast, Roxas and Demyx found it strange when neither of us said anything. I was avoiding Axel's eyes, and he was avoiding mine.

"Axel? Saru? Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, did you get in a fight last night, or something?"

As soon as that question was asked, Axel picked up his plate and left the table to go sit in the living room - again, without a word.

"So, you _did_ get into a fight." Roxas said in a matter-of-factly tone. "What was it about _this_ time?"

I paused just as I was about to take a bite of my waffles, and set down my fork, sighing.

"Axel was spying on me while I was working. It's like he doesn't trust me at all. He knows I can take care of myself, so why is he still following me around?"

"Well of course he trusts you Saru-chan. He just worries about you, especially after that fight you had with Monique. All he's trying to do is help, you know."

"Demyx is right, Saru. Axel's just looking out for you."

I listened to the both of them, not saying anything.

…

…

It's been three days since my fight with Axel, and ever since then he's been ignoring me. He would walk right past me in the hallway, pretend to be deaf when I tried to talk to him, and when I tried to write my history report he would intentionally set it on fire. It was like he was trying to punish me for yelling at him. And I guess I deserved it…

That night, I entered the restaurant and froze in my tracks as I saw a familiar redhead dressed in a bus-boy's uniform. We stared at each other for a while until I snapped myself out of my daze so I could voice what was on my mind at that very second.

"Axel? What're you doing here? And… why are you dressed like a bus-boy?"

At first he didn't say anything, but after straightening his tie, he replied, "I've been thinking… you know… about the problem you've been having here. I just wanted to be here in case you needed me… and I know you'll need me. And don't try to lie to me, 'cuz I'll know."

I scratched my head nervously, trying to think of the right words to say.

"Look… about what I said a few days ago… I'm sorry… You have every right to worry about me."

"Don't worry about it. Besides, I'm _used_ to you yelling at me."

Before I could say anything more I saw my boss out of the corner of my eye, glaring at me. To put it simply, it made me feel _very_ uncomfortable.

"Don't worry about that jerk, Saru. You just focus on your work. Remember: I'm here if you need me."

As Axel left to go to the kitchen, I heard that sickeningly sweet voice that almost triggered my gag reflex.

"Saru-chan, so good to see you!"

I didn't need to look in order to know who it was.

"Hello Monique."

"I hope my Daddy-kins wasn't too hard on you.. But maybe if you did your job _right_, then he wouldn't have been so nasty to you."

My fists were clenched so tight that my knuckles had turned white. I ground my teeth together in irritation, but I kept a sarcastic comeback from spilling out of my mouth. If it had, then it would have cost me my job.

"I'll do better this time." I managed to say in a cheerful tone, my face cracking a semi-meaningful smile.

"Be sure that you do. You know what the usual is now, right? Be sure to get the _right_ dressing this time, okay? My squad and I will be looking forward to you serving us, _Saru_-chan."

As she sauntered away to join her squad members, I growled low in my throat but I took a deep breath in order to control my growing anger. She was dangling the fact that her father owned the restaurant right in my face, and it was getting _very_ annoying. _Unbearably_ annoying.

They had no need to place their order; according to the other waitresses, they only ordered salads and iced teas because those were the only things that weren't fattening.

While I was getting their order from the kitchen, Monique spotted Axel clearing a nearby table and her lips curled into a smirk.

"So… Axel's working here too… this'll be fun… Technically Saru and Axel aren't together, so I don't think she'd mind if I had a little talk with him."

She winked to her squad members, who snickered, and walked up to Axel, tapping his arm.

"Hello Axel. I didn't expect to find you working here."

"Oh… Hey Monique."

"That uniform looks _so_ cute on you." _"But I suppose they make anyone look cute, don't they? Especially in Saru's case,"_ She added in her mind, keeping her distaste hidden.

"Thanks, I guess…"

I returned from the kitchen and nearly dropped the tray in shock when I saw Monique press her filthy lips against Axel's. The rest of the cheerleaders were whispering and giggling at the look on my face, which was twisted in anger, disgust, and… jealousy?

But I was relieved when Axel pushed her away and said, "I'm sorry, but I don't feel that way about you. There's already someone I like. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a table to clear."

With that, he took the tray of dirty dishes and walked towards the kitchen to go and have them cleaned. Monique turned and managed to catch my smug grin, and narrowed her eyes at me. But I shrugged and set the tray on the table and muttered a quick 'enjoy your food' before I rushed to the kitchen to talk to Axel. She took out her cell phone to call her boyfriend, Stan, and looked to her squad members with a nasty smirk.

"That little loser thinks she's got me beat, huh? Well I'm not giving up just yet…"

…

I walked into the kitchen and found Axel dumping the dishes into the sink, and rolled up his sleeves.

"So… there's already someone you like, huh?" I asked coyly, playing the same card that he did after the fight I had with Monique a few months back.

"Not now, Saru; I'm busy."

I smirked.

"Really now?"

"Can't we talk about this later?"

"But I don't want to talk about it later. I want to know _now_."

"Saru…"

"Well, whoever she is, I really do feel sorry for her."

Axel quirked an eyebrow at me, but I just shrugged and grabbed a handful of suds, smearing it in his hair.

"Knock it off, Saru. It's bad enough that I have to wear a hairnet; stop making it worse."

"But you look funny with soapy hair."

"Can you please just let me work?"

"Fine, yeesh. Well, when you decide to tell me who that someone is, I'm all ears."

But I knew exactly who that 'someone' was.

Me.

…

Suddenly needing to use the restroom, I walked to the bathrooms to clean the salad dressing off my hands. But an arm obstructed me and I turned to see Stan.

"Hey Saru."

"Uh… Hey Stan… What're you doing here? This is the _girl's_ bathroom."

"Oh, just… hanging around. You know… you look really good in that uniform."

"Ew, gross… is he

hitting_ on me?"_

"Don't you have someone else you can flirt with? Like, oh, say… your _girlfriend_?"

"Ah, Monique doesn't care. About all the times I teased you, it was only because I like you, you know?"

I scoffed in disgust, having heard that line over a million times in my life.

…

Meanwhile, Axel was on his way to the restroom in order to get cleaned up. But he paused when he heard voices coming from the girl's bathroom.

"Don't you have someone else you can flirt with? Like, oh, say… your

girlfriend_?"_

Axel froze. _"Saru? That's weird… who's she talking to?"_

"Ah, Monique doesn't care. About all the times I teased you, it was only because I like you, you know?"

"Yeah, right. I've heard that line before. Go back to your girlfriend, I'm not interested in fools."

"Aw, come on babe, don't be that way."

"Stan, let go!"

"Come on.."

"No! Ow, let go!"

Axel didn't need to hear any more to know what was going on. He burst into the room, and pulled Stan off of me as he was trying to unbutton my uniform.

"Get away from her!"

I stared at Axel in disbelief as he stood protectively in front of me and grabbed my arm, and nearly dragged me out of the bathroom.

"Go on! Keep your little whore! She's ugly anyway!"

I felt his grip on my arm tighten and I could see the anger in his eyes as he turned to face Stan, sparks flying off his body.

"What did you say?"

"You heard me.. Do you want me to repeat myself?"

"Oh, _please_ do.." Axel growled threateningly, looking as if he'd summon his chakrams at any second.

"Fine then. Keep… your… _whore_." Stan sneered, emphasizing each word.

Something suddenly made Axel snap as his fist reared up and struck Stan right in the face, sending him flying into one of the tables.

"Don't _ever_ say that again! If you ever insult Saru again, when I'm done with you, you'll be breathing with an _iron lung_! Got it _memorized_!"

He went to punch Stan again, but I grabbed his arm and he turned to look at me.

"That's enough, Axel. Besides, trash like him isn't worth it."

"You're right," Axel said smiling, as he took my wrist gently and we walked out the door together.

…

…

We were fired.

Yup.

You guessed it.

Fired.

But it wasn't like any of us minded. Technically, we quit before our boss had a chance to fire us.

The pay and hours sucked anyway.

…

…

Axel and I sat on the roof of a building, looking up at the castle as the redhead twiddled with his fingers.

"Sorry I made you lose your job, Saru.."

He was confused when I started laughing.

"What's there to be sorry for? I _hated_ that job. And… thanks for saving me…"

Axel blushed slightly, muttering a small 'you're welcome,' and was caught off-guard when I gave him a short kiss on the lips. I drew back just as quickly, reveling in the severe blush it caused. That, and the look on his face was positively _priceless_.

"And… for the record… you're not very discreet."

He was about to say something, but he couldn't find the right words and ended up staying quiet. He noticed some Heartless, and his face contorted into a smirk as he asked, "Wanna go take some anger out on some Heartless?"

I gave him an equally devious smirk, and summoned my Keyblade as he summoned his chakrams.

"I thought you'd never ask."

We jumped off of the roof, landing nimbly on the ground as we were suddenly surrounded by Heartless.

"Hello misplaced aggression…"

…

…


	34. Time Brings Change

**Banshee: Here's chapter 34. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own the plot.**

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Chapter Thirty-Four: Time Brings Change

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It had been a week since I was let out of that cell. The Organization was 'kind' enough to give me my own room, and they even allowed me to go to my house and pick up some clothes and other necessities.

I had already met all the members, and became good friends with Roxas and Demyx.

Axel, on the other hand, has been irritating me with all his flirting, pet names, and those weird questions that he always asks me.

…

I was busy putting sheets on my new bed when I heard a familiar voice in my doorway.

"Knock, knock," Axel chimed, giving me a cocky grin as he leaned against the doorframe.

"Hello moron," I shot back icily, digging my nails into the pillow I was holding.

"Ouch. And I thought Vexen was icy… Why are you being so harsh? I just came by to say 'hi.'"

I rolled my eyes and groaned, not letting go of the pillow since it may end up as ammo in the very_ near future. _

"I was wondering something…"

"… Fine… What is it?"

"Are those your real_ breasts?" _

I blushed as my face also turned beet red in irritation.

Now you know what I mean by 'weird questions.'

"That's none of your God-damned business!!"

"Hey, I was just asking! Besides, they're way_ too nice to be implants…" _

That did it.

I threw the pillow at him.

It would have hit him in the head, but before it reached him, he disappeared into thin air, reappearing in front of me.

"You missed." He mused in a sing-song voice, giving me another cocky grin before he disappeared in a dark portal.

I went to pick up the pillow and tossed it onto my bed, putting my hands on my hips and shaking my head.

"I'll never_ understand how his mind works…"_

…

"Oi! Saru! I need to talk to you for a minute!"

I sighed.

"What is it, Axel?"

"Xemnas wants to see you, he says it's _really_ important."

Great… what did ol' Mansex want _this_ time?

…

As I walked into Xemnas' office, there was one thing on my mind: I must be in trouble.

Before he had the chance to speak, I blurted, "Look, if this is about putting the itching powder in you pajamas, it wasn't me, it was all _Axel's_ idea!"

Xemnas raised an eyebrow at me, Saïx - who was also standing in the room - smirked a little, and Axel face-palmed himself.

"No, this is not about the itching powder. This is about your status as a member of this Organization."

I sighed in relief.

"But the punishment for that _childish _prank _will_ come later, I assure you."

I groaned.

"Now that you're a member of the Organization, you need to begin your training. One of the other members will teach you how to fight, and create portals. I'll leave you to choose your teacher. You are all dismissed."

Axel elbowed me in the ribs as we walked out of the room, a little miffed that I admitted to the prank we played on our 'beloved' Superior.

"Nice going, Madam _Big_-Mouth. We just might end up with toilet duty for this, _if we're lucky_…"

"Lighten up, _Carrot-Top_. He was gonna find out we did it anyway."

He stayed silent for a moment.

"Hey, uh… You know… I could train you, if you want… That is, if you don't mind…"

"Hm… I don't mind."

His face beamed.

"Really? You mean that?"

When I nodded, he jumped up and down in the air in a medley of victory whoops.

"Good! We'll start tomorrow. But I warn you… it won't be easy."

"Since when is something _easy_?"

"Hm… Good point…"

…

"Ne, Saru-chan! Xaldin's making some goulash. You want some?"

I looked at the questionable dish that the Nobodies were eating, trying to resist the urge to puke at the same time.

"Goulash?"

"It's really good," Demyx said in a sing-song voice, grabbing a spoonful and offering it to me.

"I'll pass, thanks."

"This is Italian food, Saru. For God's sake, you're_ Italian. Are you telling me that you don't like the food from your country of origin? I am _shocked_. Positively _shocked_." _

It is true, I am of Italian descent. It makes up most - if not all - of who I am. My mother's side of the family is full Italian, and I inherited more than half of my genetics from her; my black hair, my dark brown eyes, and even my figure, personality, and stubborn-ness - I got it all from my mom.

My mother is a short woman - four feet and eleven inches - and I'm only taller than her by about an inch or two. But she can be real_ mean when someone crosses her. _

Don't… ever_… piss off an Italian woman… _

"It's not that I don't like it Demyx, it's just that… I don't know…"

"I don't understand how anyone_ can eat this stuff," Axel interjected, grabbing a can of soda from the fridge. "It looks like vomit." _

Upon hearing this, Xaldin twitched, glaring daggers at the redhead.

"Are you insulting my cooking, firebug??" He asked threateningly, his grip tightening on the knife in his hand.

When Axel just stuck his tongue out at him, he twitched again, a vein pulsing on his forehead.

"That's it! I'm gonna cut out that tongue and make you eat_ it, punk!!" _

The rest of us shook our heads as Xaldin chased the redhead around the room, knife still in hand, and Demyx offered me some of his goulash for the second time.

At first, I didn't want to, but I knew that he would pester me until I did it anyway. So I took the spoon from him, and put it in my mouth hesitantly.

My eyes widened.

It was a euphoria of flavor, and my taste buds were tingling like Peter Parker's 'Spidey Sense.'

"Wow…" I began, after I swallowed the goulash. "This stuff is really_ good…"_

…

"Alright Saru. I think it's only fair to warn you that this training isn't going to be easy. Are you sure you want to do this?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Let's just start training. Come on! Throw some fireballs at me, I'm ready!" I yelled out impatiently, brandishing my Keyblade.

"Oh no. You're not even _close_ to being ready for _real_ combat. At the strength you are now, even _Demyx _can beat you without breaking a sweat."

"Hey!!"

"For now, we'll just start with basic combat. You can handle a few Dusks, right?" Axel asked, putting a finger to his chin in a thinking gesture.

Why would he ask a question like that? Of _course_ I can handle a Dusk! They are the weakest and most common type of Nobody, even if they're annoying as hell to fight. But I guess it's better than being tossed around by a Dancer Nobody… even if it's kinda fun…

"Of course I can! Bring 'em on, I can take 'em!"

"Hang on a second, we still have to discuss the rules!"

"Huh?? What rules??"

"Saru… don't tell me you don't know the rules of combat…"

"Uh… Okay… I _won't_ tell you…"

He sighed.

"You really _are_ clueless…"

"Hey!! If you're trying to be subtle about it, you're doing a crappy job!!"

"Ugh, this is gonna be difficult…" Axel murmured to himself, massaging his temples as he felt an oncoming headache. "Look, just think of something that applies to the concept. And don't go changing the subject or else you'll be doin' laps around the castle, got it memorized?"

Rolling my eyes again, I nodded to show I that understood and he gave me a look that - I'm guessing - was telling me to go.

"Uh… don't pick a fight that you know you'll lose?"

"Actually, it's 'choose your battles wisely,' but I guess that's close enough…"

"Does that mean I can fight now??"

"No, not yet!!"

"Aw…"

"Don't get excited yet; there's more. No dirty fighting. As in no biting, eye gouging, hair pulling, head butting, fish-hooking, throwing your opponent out of the ring, running out of the ring, hitting someone in the back of the head, and _definitely_ no groin-hits."

"Aw, but it's so funny seeing a man on the floor crying in pain while in the fetal position…"

"Focus Saru, this is serious! You're not ready to fight me yet, so we'll just start you off with some Dusks. We would practice with some Heartless but, since you still have your heart, you'd be at a bit of a risk. Now… are you ready to start?"

When I nodded my head feverishly in response, Axel raised his arms and all of a sudden we were surrounded by a ring of fire. A few Dusks appeared in a circle around me as I tightened my grip on my Keyblade, waiting for them to attack me.

"Begin!"

…

"Aahh!!!"

Demyx was hit by one of Axel's fire blasts, and he was sent flying as he landed none-too gently onto the floor. His sitar landed with a 'thunk' next to him as it disappeared in a fit of bubbles, and the nocturne rubbed his sore behind which suffered from the impact of the fall.

"Man Demyx, you're so weak_! Water's _nothin'_ when you're strong and as skilled with fire as I am." _

While Axel gloated, I helped Demyx off his feet as he dusted off his coat.

"I really am_ the weakest member of the Organization… I can't even _fight_…" _

"Don't say that, Demyx. At least you put up a good fight. If it helps, you're the best singer on karaoke night…"

At this, Demyx flashed the kind of smile that you wanted to hug him to death for.

It was **that**_ cute… _

"You really mean that??"

"Of course I do."

"Wow! No one's ever complimented my singing before… You're the best friend ever!" The nocturne cried out happily as he caught me in a hug.

"But Demyx… we've only known each other for a couple of weeks…"

"Still… you're the best!!"

"Get off her Demyx. Your stupid might rub off on her."

Demyx stuck his tongue out at Axel, who just rolled his eyes and grabbed him by the hood of his coat, dragging him off of me.

"Ow! Ow! C'mon Axel, do you have to be so rough??"

I watched the scene, laughing slightly at how Axel would always be so rough with Demyx even if they're good friends.

Opposites attract in a way, I suppose…

…

My eyes widened as the Dusk dodged the swing I took at its midsection. I fell onto the floor in a heap, and the other Dusks seemed to laugh at me.

"No, no, all wrong."

"You have a better idea of how to fight these stupid things???"

"I mean your stance; it's all wrong… it's unbalanced. Look, here…"

Axel helped me off the floor and stood behind me, adjusting my stance by bending my knees and positioning my feet a little further apart. He then took my hand in his and moved it so both hands were on my Keyblade's handle.

"See? If you hold it with _both_ hands, you might have more strength to your swing. And bending your knees a little can make it harder for you to lose your balance. Got it?"

"Uh… yeah…"

I blushed heavily, my face looking like a tomato.

Wait… why was I blushing??

Maybe it was because Axel was so close to me _without_ trying to make a move on me.

"Hey… you okay, Saru?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Alright then. Let's start this again and, this time, remember what I told you."

The Dusks began attacking again, but this time I was ready. As one was coming at me, I took a huge swing with my Keyblade and sliced it clean in half as it disappeared in a flurry of black flames.

"I did it! I got one!"

After I defeated the rest of the Dusks, I slumped down onto my knees and sighed in relief that it was over. Some of those Dusks put up one hell of a fight…

"Alright. You managed beat all seven of 'em. You did good for a rookie…"

I smiled.

"… Now let's see how you handle twenty of 'em!"

I paled as Axel snapped his fingers and more Dusks appeared around me, more than twice as many as before.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me…"

"Begin!"

"Oh come on!!"

…

"Graahh!!! Stupid Axel! I can't stand him!!"

"What's wrong Saru? What'd Axel do?" Roxas asked as I kicked the wall numerous times.

I had only been there for two weeks so far, and I was already_ sick of that perverted pyromaniac redhead. He would follow me around like a puppy, and he was always inconsiderate, sarcastic, and - most of all - _annoying_. _

"Nothing much… In fact… he doesn't need to do anything_, I just get annoyed with him instantly. That, and he made a crack about my breasts.." _

Roxas shrugged and shook his head.

"I don't know what happened - and I don't wanna_ know - but maybe that's Axel's way of saying he likes you. He never was the straightforward type… he likes to give hints and be subtle about things. It _can_ get annoying sometimes…" _

"Really… If that's how he says that he likes me, then I'd love to see how he expresses hate…"

"Do you really_ wanna know?" I heard a familiar voice whisper behind me in a playful tone, their breath tickling the back of my neck as shivers were going up and down my spine. I whipped my head around, and saw - none other than - Axel, who was looking at me with a mischievous grin. _

Man, how I hated that smirk of his…

"Gah!! Axel! Don't do that!!"

"Don't you wanna know how I express hate?"

"No!! Now go away!!"

"Aw, you're not still mad about that whole 'breasts' thing, are you?"

When I didn't answer, he shrugged.

"I meant what I said about them being nice. They're not as nice as your ass, though…"

"Grr!!! That's it!!!"

Roxas held me back before I could beat the living crap out of the Nobody he called his best friend.

I wanted so badly to wipe that smug smirk off his face.

"Let me go, Roxas!!"

"Saru, calm down!!"

"I'll kill you, you **pervert**!!!"

"Nyah!" Axel stuck his tongue out at me, which got me even more pissed off.

"You are dead! Do you hear me!? **DEAD**!!!!!"

…

"Alright, that's enough for today. I have to say, you're not bad for a beginner."

That was easy for him to say. He's a Nobody with special powers, and I'm a human; I have no special powers - except maybe for being extremely annoying, but I don't think that counts as a power…

Axel snapped his fingers and the remaining Dusks disappeared as I collapsed onto the ground from sheer exhaustion. I barely got through _half_ of those things, and they were coming at me from every angle without giving me any time to react. My entire body ached, and all I wanted to do was lay there on the floor for the rest of my life.

"Come on, get up."

"Nooo, I dun' wanna!"

"Saru, come on."

"Nooo!!!"

"Saru.." He said my name sternly, prodding my body with his foot.

"Stop it!" I whined.

"Not until you get up."

"Oh, fine!"

With Axel's help, I got up onto my feet and winced when he grabbed my arm. That arm suffered from a bad hit, and it was most likely bruised.

"You okay?"

"Yeah.. I'm fine, it's just bruised."

…

…

During the next few weeks, training was _murder_. Every time I succeeded in defeating the amount of Dusks he summoned, he would bring out twice as many afterwards. I never thought it would be so hard. Every other day, he would teach me how to create portals to give me a break from fighting. And every day, my body would be sore and aching, and sometimes he would get me up at four o'clock in the morning to run laps and get in some early training - even on a _school_ day. Sometimes I regretted letting Axel train me, but I knew that training wasn't supposed to be easy. Besides, you know the old saying - 'no pain, no gain.'

After a few weeks of getting the crap beaten out of me by Dusks, I had finally gotten the hang of fighting and defeated every one of them that got in my way. I still hadn't gotten the hang of creating portals, but it was nothing compared to the challenge I would soon face.

"Alright. You've really improved during these past few weeks, and you're finally ready to fight me."

"Yes!"

"Remember, I won't go easy on you so you'd better watch yourself. Okay?"

"Bring it!"

He gave me a cocky smirk and a ring of fire surrounded us as he raised his arms and his chakrams appeared in his hands. We both took a fighting stance and stared at each other for a moment until Axel decided to make the first move. He rushed forward, swinging his chakrams at me in a fit of fiery strikes that nearly hit me dozens of times. I managed to block some of the swings with my Keyblade, but the sharp edges of his chakrams slipped through my defenses and sliced into my right arm and shoulder making me hiss in pain.

…

"Uh… Hey Axel…"

"You're not trying to escape, are you?" He asked almost coyly, crossing his arms. I backed away from him, smiling nervously, knowing for a fact that there was no way I was getting out of this castle anytime soon.

"Uh… No, of course not! I was just… looking for the bathroom, that's all…"

He raised an eyebrow at me, and I knew he didn't believe a word of what I just said. Leaning forward so he could look me in the eye, he said, "You're a really_ bad liar, you know that?" _

"Well, that's what happens when you're raised in a household that upholds honesty… You're not really… good at lying…" I replied sheepishly, scratching the back of my head.

…

Keeping my distance was the only way I could avoid Axel's lightning-fast strikes, but, unfortunately, my Keyblade was only good for close-range combat. It wasn't like I could throw it around like a boomerang and expect it to come back or hit anything.

"What's wrong Saru? Can't take the heat??" Axel asked with a cocky smirk, as he twirled his chakrams in his hands.

Without warning, the chakrams were sent flying in my direction as I had to push myself to move before they cut me to pieces. The first I managed to dodge without a problem, but the second one came flying at me and I was unable to move in time to dodge it. I decided to take a chance and swung at it with my Keyblade, hitting it like it was a baseball, sending it flying back at Axel who caught it with ease. His chakrams were suddenly engulfed in flames, and my face paled when I saw him position himself to throw.

"Not bad! Let's see if you can handle _this_!"

"Oh, you've _got_ to be kidding me…"

…

"You're right -- we don't_ know what it's like…" _

I stared at Axel, unsure of what he was getting at.

"… But no one should feel that kind of pain. Especially not you…"

…

The chakrams were once again sent flying at me, and there was no way I could block them; my only solution was to dodge them - if I could. The first chakram whizzed past me, singeing my left shoulder.

"Ouch! Dammit!!"

When I noticed the second chakram, I suddenly felt like a deer in headlights, not knowing what to do. But I managed to barely move out of the way as it came whizzing past my head, and I could feel the burning heat of the flames. Axel caught the chakrams in his hands and was ready to throw them again, when I lurched forward and took a swing at him with my Keyblade. He stepped back as the flame around his chakrams were extinguished, out of mere surprise at my sudden attack. My Keyblade just nearly missing his midsection, he stumbled backwards and fell onto the floor. He recovered from his daze to see me standing over him with my Keyblade pointed at his throat.

"Ha! I win!"

Axel smirked, which made me slightly nervous.

"Oh really? Look again."

I was confused at first until I looked and saw that he had one of his chakrams pointed at my own throat.

"Wait… when did he…?"

…

"So.. About today.. Who_ did you mean when you said I was 'with someone else???'" He asked coyly, with an all-knowing smirk. _

"Nobody." I said gruffly, walking around him. "I just didn't want you to end up as one of Monique's 'boy-toys.'"

"You don't say.."

He put an arm around my shoulder and asked, "And is this 'someone else' somebody I know?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Let it go, Axel."

"I'll take that as a 'yes.' Is this 'someone else' a girl?"

"Probably, unless you swing more towards guys."

"Does this 'someone else' have a black kitten named 'Hazel?'"

"That's enough, Axel.."

"It's you_, isn't it?" _

"Shut up.."

"Hah! I knew it! I knew you couldn't resist my charm and good looks!" He yelled in triumph.

"Oh please… I wouldn't fall for you even if I was desperate. But Demyx or Riku… I'd say they're more my type."

"Oh really?" Axel scoffed, flicking his finger as a fireball appeared in his hand. "Can Demyx and Riku make fire?"

"Hm.. I doubt it. But Demyx can sing - really well, I might add - and he's also sweet and sensitive, and Riku has unwavering loyalty, passion and devotion. I'd say that beats fire by a landslide."

"Hm… Then why were you jealous when Monique was flirting with me?"

I blushed.

"No I wasn't!!"

"Oh please, you were hotter than a baked potato."

"Liar!!"

"Let's face it Saru. You were jealous. You know… my offer to be my girlfriend is still open for you…"

"AXEL!!!!!!!!!"

…

"Phew. That's enough for today. You really _have_ gotten better." Axel murmured as he got to his feet, and extinguishing the fire ring as his chakrams also disappeared.

"You don't _really_ mean that, do you?" I asked uncertainly as my Keyblade dissipated out of my hands.

"Of course I mean it. For someone without any special powers, you're pretty good at this."

"Gee, thanks," I muttered sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

"Hey, you should be at least a little happier about hearing a compliment from one of your superiors."

"It all depends on your definition of 'superior.'"

"And what is your definition?"

"Anyone that isn't you."

"You're so cruel…"

"Deal with it."

Axel laughed and put his hand on my shoulder - the one that was burned - and I reeled back, crying out in pain.

"Ouch!!"

"Are you okay Saru? You're not hurt, are you?"

"No," I retorted sarcastically. "I'm just faking it - OF COURSE I'M HURT, YOU **_MORON_**!!!"

"Well, let me take a look at them then."

"Ow! **_Ow_**! Stop touching it!!

"Don't yell at me, I'm just trying to see how bad your injuries are!"

"Trust me, they're bad enough without you _touching_ them!"

"Quit complaining! You should at least have them looked at!"

There was a pause.

"Hey, uh… Saru… what're you doing??" Axel asked nervously as my Keyblade reappeared in my hands, and a malicious look appeared on my face.

"I'll give you something to 'complain' about, you perverted pyromaniac!!"

"Now Saru… there's no need to get violent…"

He yelped when I took a swing at him, moving out of the way and running down the hallway with me chasing after him, swinging my Keyblade at him furiously, ignoring my injuries.

"Get back here so I can kill you, dammit!!!"

"ROXAS!!! **_HELP_**!!!!!"

…


	35. NOTE

**Banshee: Chapter 35 gonna take a while. So far, it's 11 pages long. I can't show you the whole chapter just yet, but I CAN give you a glimpse of it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own the plot.**

--

All of the Organization members were sitting in their assigned seats, in order from number one to number thirteen. Demyx was the last to show up, as he hastily took his seat between Axel, Number VII, and Luxord, Number X, and swung his feet back and forth anxiously. Axel nudged the nocturne in the ribs in an effort to tell him to knock it off as the Superior warped in and took his seat.

"Fellow Organization members…" He began, getting everyone's attention. "As I'm sure you are aware, Saru has amnesia. She does not remember anything to do with this organization, nor does she remember that she is a member herself. This could serve as a problem if her memory is not recovered."

"That won't be a problem," said Xigbar as he adjusted his eyepatch. "She got hit in the head, didn't she? All we have to do is hit her again. That'll get her memory back."

"No, we can't do that! It's improbable, not to mention that old trick never works - except in those silly cartoons."

"Well then, since you know everything, what do _you_ think we should do, Vexen?" Larxene sneered, rolling her eyes as Vexen glared at her.

"Memories are very complicated. And as far as amnesia goes, it can be temporary or it can be _permanent_. We don't know the extent of it yet."

"So you guys just wanna sit there and see what happens?" Axel exclaimed, sitting up in his chair and banging his fist on the armrest. "It might be too late to recover her memory by the time we figure out how bad it is! We have to do something _now_!"

"Calm yourself, Axel," Zexion said suddenly, closing the book he was - previously - reading. "Fussing over it isn't going to make the situation any better. We'll just have to do everything within our power to accelerate her recovery."

"And if that doesn't work?" Saïx asked, slinging one leg over the other in a casual fashion as the room fell silent.

The other members said nothing, contemplating the question in their minds for a few minutes before Xemnas, the Superior, broke the silence.

"Then we'll have to take… drastic measures…"

Axel's eyes widened at this, and stuttered, "You don't mean… we'll have to--"

"Correct."

"B-But… But she doesn't remember anything! She doesn't even remember her training! And what if we can't get her to remember?"

"It saddens me to say this, but if her memory cannot be recovered… then we'll have to destroy her."

Even Zexion was surprised by this response as he dropped his book completely as it fell to the floor with a 'clunk.' The room was enveloped in silence as everyone took the time to let that statement sink in.

"B-But--!!"

"No 'buts.' You are all dismissed."

As the other members warped out of the room, Axel, Demyx, Zexion and Roxas stayed behind, still sitting in their chairs and suffering from the shock.

"We'll have to… _destroy_ her? But… we can't do that…" Demyx's voice quivered as his eyes began to tear.

"There has to be _something_ we can do…" Roxas said in a hopeful tone as the others looked at him solemnly, wishing they could be as optimistic.

"If we are ordered to destroy her, we cannot go against Xemnas' orders, unless we want to be turned into Dusks," Zexion said, picking up his book.

"I don't care!" Axel exclaimed heatedly. "I'd rather be a _Dusk_ than have to hurt Saru!"

"I care for her as much as you do, Axel, but there's nothing much we can do about her condition. The best we can do now is try to help her regain her memory."

"You really think it's that simple, Zex?"

"… Nothing is ever simple… unfortunately."

--

**Banshee: Well, there it is. Please be patient with me, I have finals coming up soon and I have to study for them also... But I will get the 35th chapter in as soon as possible, okay?? Love you all! Ja ne!**


	36. Memory Blank pt 1

**Banshee: Hello everyone. Sorry it took me a while with this. It's gonna be in three parts, since it's kinda... long... anyway, here you go! Chapter 35!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the awesome-ness of Kingdom Hearts, or its characters, Square Enix does. I just own the whacky plot, so please don't sue.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Five: Memory Blank

Part One

* * *

It started out as a normal day at school. We were playing kickball today, since the teacher decided to give us a break from dodge ball because the other kids kept whining about being clobbered. It was the other team's turn to kick, and their strongest kicker was up. They delivered a strong kick and the ball was sent flying in my direction. But my back was turned, so I couldn't see the ball coming.

"Saru! Look out!"

Before I could turn around though, the ball collided hard with my head as I was overwhelmed with pain. I collapsed onto the floor in a daze as my eyesight was hazy and blurry. Everything was fading into one huge blur, and soon I couldn't see anything but the swirls of colors that engulfed my eyes as I suddenly felt light-headed. I could hear my name being called, but I could barely hear it over the ringing in my ears.

"Saru! Saru! Someone, get the nurse, quick!"

…

_Have you ever felt like nothing was going right for you?_

_Like the entire world was out to get you and make your life miserable?_

_Well, I sure felt that way; which is odd, since most eleven-year-olds don't think that way._

_It's been a year since my sister was killed in that accident, and let's just say that my life went into a downward spiral. My grades began slipping, I started getting into fights in school, and whenever someone looked into my eyes you couldn't see anything but anger, bitterness and depression. I often stayed in my room more often and blew off steam by punching the mirror - or anything that was breakable. My mother attempted to get through to me by putting me in therapy, but getting me to say anything was like getting blood out of a stone._

_It was impossible._

_I saw my mother standing there when I came in, her arms crossed angrily over her chest as she gave me a reprimanding glare._

"_Do you have _any_ idea what time it is?" She asked, her voice cracking, as if she was about to cry._

"_No," I shot back in a cold voice, taking off my jacket and tossing it onto the floor. She glared at this action, but made no move to say anything about it._

_Her current focus was the fact that I came home three hours later than I was supposed to._

"_It's eleven o'clock at night."_

"_So?"_

"_Your curfew is _eight_. You were supposed to be home _three hours ago_."_

_Her voice was cracking even worse than before as she began to break out in tears as she continued, "What happened to the sweet little girl that was always calm, who never got into fights? What happened to my _baby_?"_

"_The daughter you know is gone, Mom. She _died_, along with my _sister_."_

_With that, I walked past her, kicking my shoes off and ignoring the look of pure hurt and sadness in her eyes as I slammed the door to my room. Leaning against my bedroom wall, I put my face in my hands as I felt my eyes start to sting. I knew I was wrong for making my mother worry, but it seemed that nothing would be all right for me, now that my sister was gone. Looking up, I saw the mirror sitting on top of my bureau. With a look of pure murder in my eyes, I walked over to it, balled my hand into a fist, and punched it as hard as I could. A loud 'smash' echoed through the room, and the mirror cracked and shattered into a million pieces, a few of them embedding themselves in my hand. I hissed in pain and drew my fist back, blood pouring out of my wounds. Looking at my bleeding hand, I grunted in annoyance; directed both at myself and that stupid mirror._

_Great… that was the third one this month…_

_As if things couldn't get any worse…_

…

"Is she okay?"

"I don't know… she _did_ take a nasty hit…"

"Oh! She's waking up!"

"Everybody, back up; give her some room!"

In response to the strange noises, I slowly opened my eyes as the room seemed to spin. Putting a hand to my head, my eyes widened when I felt bandages. I shot up into a sitting position, my head jerking about, taking in my surroundings.

"W-Where am I?"

"You're in the nurse's office, Saru-chan," said a boy I didn't recognize. His messy Mohawk-style haircut and sky blue eyes seemed familiar, but, other than that, I didn't recognize him. "You were out for quite a while. The teacher said you took a bad hit to the head… we were worried about you, you know?"

"That's nice and all, but… do I know you?"

A look of disappointment and astonishment was spread across their faces, and the boy that had spoken to me had tears forming in his eyes.

"She doesn't remember us, Axel…" He said to a taller boy with spiked red hair.

'Axel' crossed his arms and looked at me with his stunning green eyes.

"Saru… do you remember anything?" He asked in a serious voice.

I quirked an eyebrow at him and went into deep thought, taking his question into consideration.

He _did_ seem familiar… and so did the people behind him.

If that was true, then I _must_ have known them from _somewhere_.

"I don't think so… But I feel like I know you guys from somewhere… Do we have any classes together?"

"Yeah. All of them."

"Really? I never noticed you all before…"

Suddenly, the nurse came over and told me that I was fine enough to go back to class. By then, it was time for history class, meaning that I had been unconscious for a few hours…

Man, this bites…

…

…

I was sitting at my desk when the teacher assigned the class an assignment that required working with a partner. Of course you all know how anti-social I am. So I just sat there in my desk, hoping that the teacher wouldn't notice and I'd be able to work alone. Unfortunately, I felt a tap at my shoulder and I turned to see the same boy from the nurse's office.

"Hi Saru. Wanna work with me?" He asked sweetly, smiling.

"Uh… sure…"

He pulled a desk over and pushed it next to mine, taking a seat.

"May I ask… what your name is?"

"Oh yeah. My name's Demyx."

Suddenly, I felt a jolt in my brain when he said his name.

…

_It was heading into the second week in my stay at the Castle That Never Was. I was perfectly aware that there were other members living in the castle, so I wandered the halls hoping to see a new face. So far, I had only met two members: Axel and Roxas. I had yet to meet the others._

_I was walking down the hall when I suddenly heard music being played._

_Trying to find the source of the strange sound, I found myself walking onto what Axel said was called the 'Alter of Naught,' where I found a strange boy playing a musical instrument. _

_His hair was messy and styled into a Mohawk, with a few strands hanging in his face. The outfit he was wearing consisted of the same black coat that Axel and Roxas wore._

"He must be a member of the Organization too…"

_He was too wrapped up in his music to notice me, so I walked up behind him and asked nonchalantly - without meaning to scare him, "Whatcha doing?"_

_The boy screamed in shock, dropping his guitar-like instrument, as he whirled around and got into a defensive position._

"_Who! What! Where! Who're you!"_

"_I'm Saru. Sorry I scared you; I didn't mean to."_

_He lowered his arms and smiled at me, picking up the instrument that he had dropped onto the ground._

"_That's okay. By the way, I'm Demyx."_

"_What's that?" I asked, pointing to the instrument he was holding._

"_Oh, this? It's called a 'sitar.' The other members don't think it's a very good weapon, but I don't like fighting very much… I do like music, though."_

"_You play really well. Can you play another song for me?"_

_Suddenly, I saw Demyx's sky-blue eyes beam with pride as he lurched forward, capturing me in a hug._

"_You really mean that? Wow! No one's ever complimented me on my songs before! I barely know you, and I already think you're the best!"_

_I smiled awkwardly, laughing nervously at his sudden friendliness._

"_Uh… thanks, Demyx…"_

…

"Hey, are you okay?"

I blinked a few times to register what was going on in my head, and looked at Demyx, who was looking at me with concern.

"Yeah… I'm okay… I just… got a little headache, that's all…"

Demyx smiled and took out a pencil from his pocket and began writing little musical notes on the paper in my notebook. Taking a closer look, I saw that he was writing some sort of song. He noticed me staring at what he was doing and smiled again, moving his hand so I could see the notes clearly.

"I like to write little songs whenever I find the time. I could play some for you on my sitar later - that is, if you want to…"

As he nervously twiddled with his fingers, I found myself suddenly interested.

"… Yeah. I'd like that."

…

…

Demyx took me to a strange world that was wrapped in eternal darkness, with a giant heart-shaped moon in the sky.

"We have to be near water for this to work…" He said as he instructed me to take a seat at a nearby fountain.

"Watch this."

Holding out his hand, a guitar-like instrument appeared in a fit of bubbles. He smiled at my surprise and began plucking the strings with his fingers. Almost immediately, streams of water were funneling out of the fountain, molding into clones of himself.

"You like 'em?" He asked, noticing my surprised expression. "These are my water clones. They're not good for fighting, but they sure are the life of the party!"

"Yo! Demyx!"

Demyx was caught off guard as he dropped his sitar, as it - and the water clones - dissipated.

My eyes widened as a dark portal appeared out of nowhere and Axel stepped out of it, with a serious look on his face. Ignoring me for that moment, he focused on the dirty-blonde boy in front of me.

"Xemnas called an emergency meeting, concerning…"

He took a quick glance at me, then looked back at Demyx.

"… something of utmost importance. He expects that Saru be in her room for the time being. Now hurry up, before the 'Wonderful Superior' has a hissy-fit."

Demyx nodded and Axel disappeared back into the portal, leaving the two of us alone. He looked at me solemnly as he took my hand led me into a portal he created. When he exited the portal, we were in a - strangely familiar - room, decorated with beanie babies, dragon posters, and numerous bookshelves.

"I need you to stay here for a while, but I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?"

I nodded and he ran out the door, and I paled when I heard the clicking of a lock. Running to the door, I turned the knob to find my worst fear was confirmed.

It was locked.

"Great… _Now_ what am I gonna do?"

…

- With the Organization -

…

All of the Organization members were sitting in their assigned seats, in order from number one to number thirteen. Demyx was the last to show up, as he hastily took his seat between Axel, Number VII, and Luxord, Number X, and swung his feet back and forth anxiously. Axel nudged the nocturne in the ribs in an effort to tell him to knock it off as the Superior warped in and took his seat.

"Fellow Organization members…" He began, getting everyone's attention. "As I'm sure you are aware, Saru has amnesia. She does not remember anything to do with this organization, nor does she remember that she is a member herself. This could serve as a problem if her memory is not recovered."

"That won't be a problem," said Xigbar as he adjusted his eyepatch. "She got hit in the head, didn't she? All we have to do is hit her again. That'll get her memory back."

"No, we can't do that! It's improbable, not to mention that old trick never works - except in those silly cartoons."

"Well then, since you know everything, what do _you_ think we should do, Vexen?" Larxene sneered, rolling her eyes as Vexen glared at her.

"Memories are very complicated. And as far as amnesia goes, it can be temporary or it can be _permanent_. We don't know the extent of it yet."

"So you guys just wanna sit there and see what happens?" Axel exclaimed, sitting up in his chair and banging his fist on the armrest. "It might be too late to recover her memory by the time we figure out how bad it is! We have to do something _now_!"

"Calm yourself, Axel," Zexion said suddenly, closing the book he was - previously - reading. "Fussing over it isn't going to make the situation any better. We'll just have to do everything within our power to accelerate her recovery."

"And if that doesn't work?" Saïx asked, slinging one leg over the other in a casual fashion as the room fell silent.

The other members said nothing, contemplating the question in their minds for a few minutes before Xemnas, the Superior, broke the silence.

"Then we'll have to take… drastic measures…"

Axel's eyes widened at this, and stuttered, "You don't mean… we'll have to-"

"Correct."

"B-But… But she doesn't remember anything! She doesn't even remember her training! And what if we can't get her to remember?"

"It saddens me to say this, but if her memory cannot be recovered… then we'll have to destroy her."

Even Zexion was surprised by this response as he dropped his book completely as it fell to the floor with a 'clunk.' The room was enveloped in silence as everyone took the time to let that statement sink in.

"B-But-!"

"No 'buts.' You are all dismissed."

As the other members warped out of the room, Axel, Demyx, Zexion and Roxas stayed behind, still sitting in their chairs and suffering from the shock.

"We'll have to… _destroy_ her? But… we can't do that…" Demyx's voice quivered as his eyes began to tear.

"There has to be _something_ we can do…" Roxas said in a hopeful tone as the others looked at him solemnly, wishing they could be as optimistic.

"If we are ordered to destroy her, we cannot go against Xemnas' orders, unless we want to be turned into Dusks," Zexion said, picking up his book.

"I don't care!" Axel exclaimed heatedly. "I'd rather be a _Dusk_ than have to hurt Saru!"

"I care for her as much as you do, Axel, but there's nothing much we can do about her condition. The best we can do now is try to help her regain her memory."

"You really think it's that simple, Zex?"

"… Nothing is ever simple… unfortunately."

…

…

**Banshee: There's part one. Part two will be posted ASAP. Ja ne!**


	37. Memory Blank pt 2

**Banshee: Hello everyone. I said I'd have part two up ASAP, and here it is! Chapter 36! Enjoy! Lots of luffles to all my loyal readers out there**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the awesome-ness of Kingdom Hearts, or its characters, Square Enix does. I just own the whacky plot, so please don't sue.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Six: Memory Blank

Part Two

* * *

Recap:

"_So you guys just wanna sit there and see what happens?" Axel exclaimed, sitting up in his chair and banging his fist on the armrest. "It might be too late to recover her memory by the time we figure out how bad it is! We have to do something _now_!"_

"_Calm yourself, Axel," Zexion said suddenly, closing the book he was - previously - reading. "Fussing over it isn't going to make the situation any better. We'll just have to do everything within our power to accelerate her recovery."_

"_And if that doesn't work?" Saïx asked, slinging one leg over the other in a casual fashion as the room fell silent._

_The other members said nothing, contemplating the question in their minds for a few minutes before Xemnas, the Superior, broke the silence._

"_Then we'll have to take… drastic measures…"_

_Axel's eyes widened at this, and stuttered, "You don't mean… we'll have to-"_

"_Correct."_

"_B-But… But she doesn't remember anything! She doesn't even remember her training! And what if we can't get her to remember?"_

"_It saddens me to say this, but if her memory cannot be recovered… then we'll have to destroy her."_

_Even Zexion was surprised by this response as he dropped his book completely as it fell to the floor with a 'clunk.' The room was enveloped in silence as everyone took the time to let that statement sink in._

"_B-But-!"_

"_No 'buts.' You are all dismissed."_

_As the other members warped out of the room, Axel, Demyx, Zexion and Roxas stayed behind, still sitting in their chairs and suffering from the shock._

"_We'll have to… _destroy_ her? But… we can't do that…" Demyx's voice quivered as his eyes began to tear._

"_There has to be _something_ we can do…" Roxas said in a hopeful tone as the others looked at him solemnly, wishing they could be as optimistic._

"_If we are ordered to destroy her, we cannot go against Xemnas' orders, unless we want to be turned into Dusks," Zexion said, picking up his book._

"_I don't care!" Axel exclaimed heatedly. "I'd rather be a _Dusk_ than have to hurt Saru!"_

"_I care for her as much as you do, Axel, but there's nothing much we can do about her condition. The best we can do now is try to help her regain her memory."_

"_You really think it's that simple, Zex?"_

"… _Nothing is ever simple… unfortunately."_

…

…

"Let me out of here! Let me out _now_!" I screamed, kicking and banging on the door repeatedly. "Let me out, or I'll beat the shit out of everyone in this stupid castle! I mean it!"

"I see this whole situation hasn't changed your attitude at all."

I whirled around to see Axel, who was standing a few feet away from me, his arms crossed, and a smirk on his face.

"H-How'd you get in here? The door's locked…"

"Wow, this whole amnesia thing has made you pretty slow, hasn't it? Or did you forget the fact that I can create portals on purpose?" Axel asked sarcastically, ignoring my reaction.

"'Amnesia?' What're you talking about?"

He sighed.

"Look, never mind. The Superior has a mission for you. You and Roxas have to go on a reconnaissance mission to the Pride Lands. He wants you both there in five minutes."

He disappeared into a portal before I could say anything to him.

"Hey, wait!" I called after him. "What's the 'Pride Lands?' Who's the 'Superior?' Who's 'Roxas?'"

"The Superior's our leader." I heard a voice say from behind me.

Turning around, I saw a young boy with messy sandy-brown hair and blue eyes smiling innocently at me. He must have been younger than me by at least a couple years; also, he was shorter than me by about an inch or two.

"And I'm Roxas. I'm your partner for the mission."

"_Oh my God,"_ I thought._ "He is _so_ adorable…"_

"But…" I began, twirling a lock of hair in my fingers. "How are we gonna get to the… 'Pride Lands?'"

"Oh, that's easy." Roxas said confidently, raising his hand and creating a portal. The portal appeared in a medley of dark colors, ranging from black, to purple, to blue. When he saw me stare at it, he chuckled a little and patted me on the shoulder reassuringly.

"This portal will get us there. It's a lot easier than going by Gummi Ship."

"… A what?"

…

- In the Pride Lands -

…

We jumped out of the portal and into the Pride Lands, but I couldn't help but feel different. Everything was… bigger, for some reason, and I felt like something wasn't right. Taking a good look at myself in a little pool of water, I almost jumped out of my skin.

I was a _lion_!

"Wh-What's going on? Why am I a lion?" I exclaimed, wobbling on newly-acquired paws.

"When you go to a world like this, you change to fit the environment. It's like going to Atlantica."

"… Where?"

Roxas sighed.

"Never mind."

"So, what is this reconnaissance mission about, anyhow?" I asked, finally regaining my footing.

Roxas smiled and said, "We're just looking to see if there's any Heartless hanging around; nothing major."

I blinked.

"What's a 'Heartless?'"

"Well… the Heartless feed off the darkness in people's hearts. Sometimes the darkness is overwhelming and people end up being swallowed by it. Then they become a Heartless."

"… Oh… okay…"

…

_I was sitting on the Altar of Naught, listening to Demyx play his sitar - for the fifteenth time - when my pocket started vibrating. Realizing it was my phone, I took it out and looked at the caller ID. A familiar number appeared on the little screen, and my stomach suddenly felt sick._

"Oh no… it's my parents…"

_I carefully opened the phone and pressed the 'talk' button, preparing myself for the barrage of questions I'd be getting from my mother._

_3..._

_2..._

_1..._

"_Sweetie? Are you okay?"_

"Yup… It's Mom… Great… this is _just_ what I need…"_ I thought grimly, slapping myself in the forehead._

"_Who is it, Saru-chan?" Demyx asked._

_I shushed him, telling him to be quiet; that my mother was on the phone. He ran his fingers over his mouth in a 'zip-it' gesture, pretending to lock his mouth shut and throwing away the key. After that, he leaned in carefully, so he could listen to the conversation._

"_I'm fine, Mom." I answered in a calm voice._

"_Where are you? I haven't seen you in weeks! You weren't kidnapped, were you?"_

_She was absolutely frantic._

"_Mom… Do you _really_ think that I'd be talking to you right now if I was kidnapped?" I asked in a matter-of-factly tone, quirking an eyebrow._

_Demyx snickered a little until I smacked him in the head._

"_Be quiet." I growled. "Do you want her to hear you?"_

"_Sweetie? Are you there? Who're you talking to?" I heard my mom ask frantically._

"_Mom, the only person I'm talking to is you. Don't worry about where I am, I'm just staying at Sandy's house."_

"_I called Sandy; in fact, I called all of your friends - Sandy, Harriet, Cassandra and Maggie - and _neither_ of them have _any clue_ where you are. Don't you try to lie to me, missy!"_

_I hate it when my mom figures me out…_

"_Okay. But… this is kind of hard to explain… I'm staying with a bunch of guys, who-"_

"GUYS_! You're staying with a bunch of _guys_!"_

_Typical mom reaction…_

"_A couple girls live here too. They're not doing anything to me Mom; in fact, we're all really good friends."_

_Okay. I was lying about the really good friends part. Sure, I met the other members and got to know them, but with some of them… I don't really have a good relationship with. Let's just say we got off on the wrong foot, and leave it at that._

"_Really?" She asked in a suspicious tone. "Then it wouldn't be a problem for your father and I to meet them, would it?"_

"…"

"_Well?"_

_I had to come up with something to say quickly, or Mom might suspect something._

_And Mom gets suspicious_ very_ fast…_

"_Um… no! No, no problem at all! They _love_ meeting people! In fact, they're the friendliest people you could ever meet!"_

"You are _such_ a _**liar**_."_ I heard a voice in the back of my head say flatly._

_I smacked myself in the head in an effort to give the little voice in my head a hint to shut up, and sighed._

"_Alright. I want you and your 'friends' over in two days. _Two days_. Understand?"_

"… _Yes Mom."_

_I hung up the phone and saw Demyx look at me with a grim expression._

"_She wants to meet the whole organization… I can tell this is gonna be fun…"_

**Not**_._

_How the _hell_ am I supposed to explain this to Xemnas?_

…

"You okay Saru?"

"Yeah, I…" I stuttered. "I just got a headache, that's all…"

Roxas looked at me with concern before his ears perked up in alarm. He blinked several times before breaking into a run, and I had no choice but to follow him. I nearly tripped on my own paw, since I wasn't quite used to being a lion yet, but I managed to keep up with him. But he stopped short, making me crash into him as we both fell to the ground.

"Ow!" Roxas groaned. "A little warning next time would be nice!"

"Hey, _you're_ the one who ran off!" I retorted, getting back up and shaking the dust off my fur. "What the hell were you running from, anyway!"

A huge crash shook the ground beneath us, and we looked behind us to see a gigantic creature jump out of a portal that appeared in the sky. It roared at us, and stomped its feet.

"What is that thing!"

"It's a Heartless!" Roxas exclaimed. "Stay here! I'll take care of it!"

With that, Roxas ran up to the Heartless, and a strange key-shaped weapon appeared in his mouth. I watched as he swung at the Heartless, but it pushed him to the side like he was a bug. He landed in a heap on the ground, and his weapon dissipated.

"Roxas!"

The Heartless noticed me after I cried out Roxas' name, and its eyes were focused on me like a target. I suddenly felt like a big bulls-eye was implanted on my forehead, and made a move to run. But I saw Roxas still lying on the ground, and got into a war with myself to decide what to do. A part of me was telling me to run, while the other was telling me to help him. I took the second option and ran over to Roxas, shaking him with my paw to get him to wake up.

"Roxas! Come on Roxas, wake up!"

He didn't answer.

Footsteps thundered behind me and I turned around to see the Heartless, slowly inching closer.

"Back off, you big bully! Don't come any closer, or I'll…"

I couldn't finish that sentence, because I didn't know what I'd do if that Heartless decided to come closer. There was nothing I could do to stop it, and the only person that could was lying unconscious behind me. Suddenly, small Heartless appeared out of the ground and jumped up and swarmed over me, and I couldn't move. I struggled, but it was no use; there were too many of them. I felt a pain in my chest, and the only conclusion that I could come to was that they were taking my heart. But just when I thought it was over, I felt a wave of fire knock the Heartless off of me.

"I should have known better than to let you two go on this mission by yourselves."

"_Wait a minute…"_ I thought. _"I recognize that voice!"_

Looking up, I was faced with a lion that was at least twice my size. Its fur was red, its mane was spiked, and its green eyes were staring at me intently.

"… Axel?"

"At least _you're_ still conscious." Axel remarked sarcastically. "Take Roxas and go somewhere safe. I'll come get you as soon as I take care of this Heartless. Now go!"

I nodded and used my teeth to grab Roxas by the scruff of his neck, and dragging him carefully behind a boulder, setting him down and looking around to check for more Heartless. Waves of flames passed by us every now and then, and I heard several crashing sounds, but I was too scared to see for myself what was happening. After a few minutes, it stopped and Axel came around the boulder and looked at me with a smile.

"It's time for us to go back now." He said, creating a portal.

"Is Roxas gonna be okay?" I asked, looking over at Roxas, who was still unconscious.

Axel smiled again. "Don't worry about him, he's gonna be fine; he's been through worse. Now come on."

I hoisted Roxas onto my back and followed Axel through the portal, reappearing in the castle where he had brought me before. We were all in our normal forms again, and the bump on Roxas' forehead was blatantly visible now.

"It feels really good to be back to normal again." I said, sighing in relief and adjusting my hold on Roxas. "So… What are we gonna do with Roxas?"

"We'll just take him to his room." Axel replied.

"And… where is his room?"

Axel rolled his eyes and grabbed my sleeve, dragging me down the hallway.

"Come on."

He took me down a hallway with a bunch of rooms lined up on either side. On each door was a number in Roman numerals, ranging from one to fourteen. We stopped at the door with the number thirteen engraved on it.

"This is his room, right?" I asked, handing Roxas to Axel, who carried him inside and set him down on his bed.

"Yeah."

I looked at the door next to Roxas'. On the door was the number fourteen. I continued to look at that number, tilting my head to the side.

"Hey Axel…"

"Yeah?" Axel inquired, closing the door to Roxas' room.

"You and Roxas are part of a group called 'Organization XIII,' right?"

"…" He hesitated before speaking. "Yeah."

"Then why is this door have a fourteen on it? I thought there were only thirteen members."

"Well… we just added a new member quite a while ago."

"Really?"

Axel nodded.

"Then… whose room is this?" I asked, pointing to the door.

He paused for a moment.

"… It's yours."

"Wh… W-What?" I stuttered, almost losing my footing.

"… You're our fourteenth member, Saru."

That pain in my head came back, and this time it was twice as worse as the last headache. My eyes rolled back into my head as I collapsed, and I only heard Axel call my name before everything went black.

"_You're our fourteenth member…"_

…

"_This one's from the Organization, Saru. Hurry, open it!" Taking the dark box from Roxas, I looked at it from all angles, eyeing it suspiciously. "Where's the booby trap?"_

_They all laughed._

"_There's no booby trap, you nitwit."_

"_Just open it!"_

_I didn't need to open it, for the box dissipated on its own, revealing a full Organization outfit including gloves, boots, and, of course, the cloak; and it was my size. I picked up the coat and looked at it. _

"_What's this?" _

"_You've been with us long enough, that we've decided to make you an official member of the Organization."_

_My eyes bugged out at what Xemnas had said. They seriously did this? It wasn't some sort of prank?_

"_Really?"_

"_Yup! Welcome to the Organization, Number XIV!"_

…

- With the Organization -

…

"How's Roxas?" Demyx asked Axel after he set me down on a bed.

"He's fine; just a bump. The one I'm worried about is Saru. She just… collapsed." Axel replied, turning to face the nocturne.

"Did she remember anything yet?"

"I don't think so…"

The redhead put a finger to his chin and went into deep thought.

…

"_Hey Axel…"_

"_Yeah?" Axel inquired, closing the door to Roxas' room._

"_You and Roxas are part of a group called 'Organization XIII,' right?"_

"…" _He hesitated before speaking. "Yeah."_

"_Then why is this door have a fourteen on it? I thought there were only thirteen members."_

…

After looking back at that one particular moment, Axel suddenly realized something. He grabbed Demyx by the shoulders and began shaking him excessively, looking like he was about to say something, but the words just weren't coming out.

"What's the matter, Axel?" Demyx asked as Axel stopped shaking him.

"When we were bringing Roxas back to his room, she asked me about the Organization."

"Yeah… is that a problem?"

"Quite the contrary, my dear nocturne. It's the complete opposite of a 'problem.' The Organization wasn't even _mentioned_ to her, and she still knew the name - she even knew how many members there are and where Roxas' room is! Doesn't that strike you as strange?" Axel asked, hoping Demyx would catch on.

"Is that supposed to mean something important?"

Axel slapped his forehead.

"_Yes_!" Axel exclaimed, smacking Demyx in the head. "It means that she's slowly - but surely - regaining her memory! If this keeps up, then we won't have to destroy her!"

"I wouldn't be so optimistic."

Axel and Demyx turned to see Zexion warp into the room, carrying another one of his books.

"What do you mean, Zexion?" Axel inquired, quirking an eyebrow.

"She's still got a way to go. And if you start counting your chickens before they hatch _now_, then you'll end up _jinxing_ the whole situation." Zexion said in a matter-of-factly tone, leaning against the wall and opening his book.

"What are we _supposed_ to do, then?"

Zexion sighed.

"Well if you _have_ to reassure yourselves, and say something to jinx it, then at least say 'knock on wood' after you say it."

Demyx and Axel looked at Zexion strangely.

"'Knock on wood?' What's that mean?"

"Ugh… never mind… you're both a couple of _idiots_…"

"Hey! I dare you to say that again, you emo bookworm!"

"Quiet, _**idiot**_," Zexion snapped, smacking Axel over the head with his book. "Saru's sleeping. Have some respect and keep quiet."

…

- Back With Me -

…

My eyes felt heavier than lead, and it seemed like I had been asleep for hours. My mind was pretty blank during this time, but the only thing that I couldn't stop thinking about was what Axel said to me before I passed out.

…

"_You're our fourteenth member…"_

…

Those words kept echoing in my head, and refused to go away.

Maybe it's supposed to mean something…

"Quiet, _**idiot**_," I heard suddenly, before a dull 'thunk' and a groan of pain. "Saru's sleeping. Have some respect and keep quiet."

"Hey, guys, I think she's waking up." Demyx cried out happily when I slowly opened my eyes.

He lunged forward and hugged me, his arms wrapping around my neck and nuzzling his face into my shoulder.

"Saru-chan, you're okay! We were so worried about you!"

I lightly patted Demyx on the back to comfort him, but my focus was on the new body that was in the room. It was a boy, that didn't look much older than me, with silvery purple hair. A section of his hair was hanging in his face, over his right eye, and he was carrying a book in his hand. The book he was holding certainly explained the 'thunk' I heard before I woke up.

Before I could even ask him what his name was, he simply said, "My name is Zexion."

Again, I got a headache.

But this one wasn't as bad as the one that made me pass out.

…

_My stay at the Castle That Never Was was heading into three weeks, and I had become acquainted with more and more members of Organization XIII. Some of them were nice, like Demyx and Roxas, but some of the rest were the ones I needed to watch out for. Especially the one they call 'The Savage Nymph.'_

_I was sitting in the living room, watching my favorite television program, when an unfamiliar boy walked into the room. His head was buried in a book, and I was surprised when he walked over to the couch and sat down next to me, _without_ bumping into anything. Either he could read that book and walk around at the same time, or he knew this castle like the back of his hand. _

_We sat there for a while, in silence, and I was beginning to doubt that he even noticed me at all._

_So I decided to start a conversation and asked, "What are you reading?"_

_At first he didn't say anything, but then he looked up from his book._

"'The Tell-Tale Heart_.' It's my favorite story by Edgar Allen Poe," He said in a monotone voice, before getting back to reading._

"_Edgar Allen Poe, huh?" I murmured to myself, putting a finger to my lips in deep thought. "We read a few of his stories in English class."_

_The boy nodded his head slowly, showing he was paying attention._

"_Say, uh… I'm Saru. What's your name?"_

_He lowered his book and looked at me, and the room was enveloped in silence before he finally responded._

"… _Zexion."_

…

"Zexion…" I murmured softly to myself as the headache subsided.

I turned to him, and noticed the book he was holding. The title read '_Tell-Tale Heart_.' Under the title was the name 'Edgar Allen Poe.' I felt a slight pain in my head before I looked Zexion in the eye.

"That book…" I began, pointing to the book in his hand. "'_The Tell-Tale Heart_…' That's your favorite story… isn't it?"

Zexion's visible eye widened at my question, but he nodded slowly.

"Yes," He replied quietly. "Yes it is."

Axel and Demyx stared at me with wide eyes and the redhead grasped my shoulders and shook me lightly.

"S-Saru… do you remember anything else?" He asked frantically as he shook me a little harder.

"No, I don't think so…"

Zexion looked at the Pok'emon clock hanging on the wall of the room, and tapped Axel on the shoulder as he released me.

"It's getting late," He said, adjusting the hold on his book. "You three should go to bed; you have school tomorrow."

With that, he, Axel and Demyx warped out of the room, and I was alone. I walked to the drawer and opened it to try to find some night wear when I noticed a picture frame nestled among the clothes. I picked it up and saw a picture of two girls, and one of them looked just like my sister.

A heavy jolt ran through my brain and I dropped the picture frame to lean against the wall.

…

_Two years before the fatal accident._

_I was eight-years-old._

_It was winter, and me, my sister, my mom and my step dad took a trip to Disney World for winter vacation. We were walking down the road when we saw Mickey Mouse with a bunch of people gathered around him as he hugged the children and took pictures with them. _

"_Oh, look! It's Mickey Mouse!" Mom said, taking out her camera. "Aubrey, why don't you take your sister and go get a picture with him?"_

_Aubrey. That was my sister's name._

_Aubrey took my hand and led me over to the giant mouse, who waved at us and offered me his hand for a handshake. I hid behind Aubrey shyly, clutching her pant leg and refusing to come out from behind her._

"_Don't worry, she's just a little shy. Can we get a picture?"_

_Mickey nodded and Aubrey placed me on his right side while she took the left. Mom was ready with the camera._

"_Come on sweetie, smile!" Mom coaxed as I stood there like a deer in headlights._

_I managed to make a tiny smile before the camera flashed and Mickey gave both me and Aubrey a hug before we left. "See? There was nothing to be afraid of." Aubrey said, grabbing my hand and leading me back to Mom, who was clutching the camera with glee._

"_You don't ever have to be afraid; I'll always be there for you whenever you need me."_

…

By the time I came to, there were tears streaming down my face but I didn't notice them until I reached up and wiped my face with my hand. I knelt down and picked the picture back up and looked at it before putting it back into the drawer. I found a pair of pajamas and changed my clothes, getting into bed and pulling the covers up to my chin. A small meow came from beside me and I turned to see a small black kitten with a white diamond-shaped patch of fur on its forehead. Its bright yellow eyes were staring at me innocently as it pulled at the bow around its neck.

I reached my hand out to pet the kitten on the head as it purred and nestled itself beside me. Just then, a strange black and silver creature that faintly resembled a Heartless jumped up on the bed and cuddled around my feet.

…

- At School the Next Morning -

…

"Hey Saru, how're you feeling today?" Roxas asked as I stepped outside the portal with him, Demyx and Axel. The lump on Roxas' head had gone away, but he did complain about having a headache every now and then.

"I'm okay, I guess…" I replied, rubbing the back of my head.

Just then, I saw three kids walk up to us, two boys and one girl, and they were vaguely familiar. The tallest boy had long silver hair and aqua green eyes, the shorter boy had spiked brown hair and sapphire-blue eyes, and the girl had shoulder-length red hair and blue eyes.

I suddenly got another headache.

…

"_Where are we going, Sora?"_ _I asked, as I looked outside the Gummi Ship window and saw an island._

"_We're going to Destiny Islands; that's where I live. You've got to meet my friends, Riku and Kairi. You'll really like them." _

_Donald and Goofy landed the Gummi Ship and Sora and I jumped out, and we were met with a young silver-haired boy and a red-headed girl._

"This must be Riku and Kairi…"_ I thought to myself as they greeted Sora enthusiastically._

_The silver-haired boy eyes me suspiciously and tapped Sora on the shoulder and asked, "Who's that?"_

"_Oh!" Sora ran over to me and draped an arm around my shoulder and used his other hand to gesture to his friends. _

"_Saru, these are me friends," He pointed to the boy with silver hair. "That's Riku…" Then he pointed to the redhead. "… and that's Kairi."_

_Sora then pointed to me and said, "And this is Saru. I met her a few days ago."_

_Riku crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at me, giving me a look that suggested that he didn't trust me at all. Kairi, however, walked up to me and shook my hand, saying in a friendly voice, "Hi there. Any friend of Sora's is a friend of ours. Right, Riku?"_

_Riku did not respond._

"_Riku?" Sora inquired. "What's the matter?"_

"_I can't believe that you would trust her enough to bring her here!" Riku exclaimed suddenly, throwing his hands in the air dramatically._

"_What do you mean?" _

"_What do I mean? What do I mean! She lives with Organization XIII!"_

"_And what's wrong with that? She's not evil, or anything." Sora said, scratching his head innocently._

"_What makes you guys so sure that she isn't some kind of spy, huh? _Anyone_ that associates with Organization XIII can't be trusted!"_

"_You can't mean that, Riku." Kairi scolded, waving her finger at him._

_Riku glared at me and scoffed, turning around and stomping away shouting, "If anyone needs me, I'll be hanging out on the palm tree until _she's_ gone!"_

_I watched him storm away, feeling slightly hurt at what he said. Sora and Kairi noticed and Kairi patted my shoulder reassuringly._

"_Don't worry about Riku," She began, smiling. "He's been through a lot, and he's not very trusting of people when he first meets them. He'll get used to you in time."_

…

"Saru-chan? Are you okay?" I heard Demyx say as he shook me lightly in an effort to get my attention.

"Yeah, I… I'm fine…" I said quietly, rubbing my neck which had suddenly grown stiff.

"Saru!" Sora exclaimed as he captured me in a hug. "You're okay! We were so worried about you!"

When Sora released me, I looked over at Riku who was staring at me with an indifferent look on his face. I suddenly remembered the flashback that I had a few seconds ago, and I couldn't bring myself to say anything to him.

…

"_What makes you guys so sure that she isn't some kind of spy, huh? _Anyone_ that associates with Organization XIII can't be trusted!"_

…

Kairi saw the two of us stare at each other, and said as the bell rang, "We should get to class or we'll be late."

Riku and I continued to stare at each other until the others had left, then we decided to walk in after them. I followed behind him, staring at the back of his head the whole time. He seemed to notice and looked back at me, and said, "Hey."

"Uh… Hey…" I managed to say, even though I really didn't want to.

"… I'm… glad you're okay… You... you really scared me the other day…"

I was taken back by the sincerity and worry in his voice, as it was nothing like I had expected.

He turned back around and continued to walk until I grabbed his shoulder. Riku looked back at me with a confused expression, and we stood like that for a while until I decided to break the awkward silence.

"Look, I… I'm sorry for not saying anything earlier…"

Riku smiled.

"You don't have to be sorry for anything, Saru."

My eyes widened as I felt another headache coming on.

"… I'm just glad you're okay…"

…

_It was getting dark, which only made it harder to see, and being out at night always terrified me. I guess it was because of all the stories people would tell about young girls going out at night and never being seen again. I know you're not supposed to believe everything someone says, but it's still a frightening thought._

_I was suddenly met with bright yellow eyes, and I let out a terrified scream, scrambling onto my feet in an attempt to run away from whatever those eyes belonged to. It was suddenly too dark to see so it was difficult to know where I was going. As a result, I ended up running into another - larger - body, and I felt a pair of hands grab my arms in a tight grip. I panicked and tried to break free from my unknown attacker, only to have them turn me around so my back was against their chest, their arms holding me tightly as I kicked and screamed. _

"_Let go of me!"_

"_Saru, it's me! Riku!"_

_I gave the shadow behind me a skeptical, distrusting look even though they couldn't see it._

"_Oh yeah? _Prove_ it!"_

_At first there was no response._

"_When we first met, I filled your backpack with fish and hermit crabs, threw all your stuff into the lagoon, and I told you Sora did it."_

"_What! I pushed him off the dock and gave him an atomic wedgie for that! It was _you_! Wait… Riku?"_

_He nodded, and let me go as I stopped struggling._

"_We were really worried about you, Saru. Don't you ever run off like that again."_

"_I'm sorry…"_

"_If you're afraid of heights, you could have told us you know.."_

"_I panicked… I didn't know what else to do."_

_I felt something tug on my pant leg, and looked down to see Momo looking up at me sympathetically with the eyes that had caused me to freak out earlier. He jumped into my open arms, nuzzling me apologetically for the scare he inflicted on me._

"_It's okay Momo; I forgive you. Where's Axel and Demyx?"_

"_We split up a little while ago to cover more ground. Momo, why don't you go look for them while I keep Saru company?"_

_Momo nodded and disappeared into the darkness, leaving Riku and me alone. He leaned against a tree, not saying a word until he suddenly felt me hug his torso tightly which startled him. I started to shiver uncontrollably, and he recognized this action as he came to the realization that I was crying again._

"_I'm sorry Riku…"_

"_It's okay… You don't have to be sorry for anything…" He murmured softly, running his hand through my hair to try to calm me down as he used his other arm to pull me closer to him._

"_I'm just glad you're safe…"_

…

"Come on Saru, we're going to be late." Riku said as he grasped my arm, the action bringing me out of my stupor.

"Uh… yeah… right…"

As Riku continued to pull me down the hallway, I was looking for the others, who seemed to have disappeared. Riku then said that they all went to class, but Sora, Axel, Demyx and Roxas had classes with us so he could reassure me that I wasn't going to be alone.

Good… I don't like to be alone…

…

…

**Banshee: Ooh, I guess Riku didn't ALWAYS like Saru, huh? But he does now. And the identity of Saru's sister is revealed! Part three will be up soon.**


	38. Memory Blank pt 3

**Banshee: Meh. I could have done better on this one. I'm really sorry that it took so long, though.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, nor do I profit from this story. Square Enix owns all the Kingdom Hearts characters.I only own my OC and the plot, so please no suing.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Five: Memory Blank

Part Three

* * *

Recap:

"_Zexion…" I murmured softly to myself as the headache subsided._

_I turned to him, and noticed the book he was holding. The title read '_The Tell-Tale Heart_.' Under the title was the name 'Edgar Allen Poe.' I felt a slight pain in my head before I looked Zexion in the eye._

"_That book…" I began, pointing to the book in his hand. "'_The Tell-Tale Heart_…' That's your favorite story… isn't it?"_

_Zexion's visible eye widened at my question, but he nodded slowly._

"_Yes," He replied quietly. "Yes it is."_

_Axel and Demyx stared at me with wide eyes and the redhead grasped my shoulders and shook me lightly._

"_S-Saru… do you remember anything else?" He asked frantically as he shook me a little harder._

"_No, I don't think so…"_

_Zexion looked at the Pok'emon clock hanging on the wall of the room, and tapped Axel on the shoulder as he released me._

"_It's getting late," He said, adjusting the hold on his book. "You three should go to bed; you have school tomorrow."_

…

…

The others had arrived in the gym a few minutes before us, and had grown impatient and were about to start running laps around the gym without us. When we arrived, the teacher looked at us sternly and set everyone up in a line two-by-two. At the same time, the cheerleaders were doing some warm up drills, so we had to run around them in order to complete our laps. I noticed some of them looking at me and whispering, and I didn't understand why. Riku seemed to notice too and scoffed, patting me on the shoulder and telling me to just ignore them and focus on running the laps.

Turns out it was easier said than done.

As we rounded the gym's third corner, where the cheerleader's were, one of them stuck out their foot just as I was about to pass and my foot got caught under hers, and I fell to the floor. Roxas, who was in front of me, stopped running and went to help me up. Axel, Demyx, Sora and Riku stopped when they heard my body hit the ground, frozen where they stood.

"Are you okay, Saru?" Roxas asked frantically as I clung to him for support.

"I think so…" I replied, rubbing my leg. "I think I pulled a muscle in my leg, though…"

I looked up to see who had tripped me. It was a tall girl with wavy blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Makeup was slathered on her face, but in a way that made her look good, and she looked like one of the supermodels you see in magazines. Her figure was slightly curvaceous, but she still looked like the kind of girl that would consider one-hundred and twenty pounds to be fat. On her face was a nasty smirk as the fellow cheerleaders giggled.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," She said in fake apology as her smirk got wider. "I didn't see you coming."

Roxas gave the girl a nasty glare and helped me up, asking me how my leg was. I gave him a thumbs up sign and smiled, but when I went to walk, I nearly fell back onto my face if it weren't for Roxas. Sora ran over to us and helped Roxas support me, giving me a pat on the back which was his way of telling me to grin and bear it - the leg, that is.

The two of them led me over to the bench to sit down - ignoring the snickering cheerleaders - and wait for the teacher's okay to go see the nurse and have it looked at. Since I had a hard time walking, the nurse had to come down to the gym and look at my leg. She concluded that I only pulled a muscle and that it would be fine in at least a half hour. Riku, Axel and Demyx ran over to us and asked if I was okay, and I said that I was, in fact, okay.

"Feh. It's girls like them that give cheerleaders a bad name." Sora muttered darkly as he threw a glare in their direction.

"There's really nothing we can do about it now." Axel said as he looked at the clock. "Do you need any help going to the locker room, Saru? Can you get there by yourself?"

"Yeah, I think so…"

I attempted to stand up, but ended up falling against Demyx who managed to catch me before I fell to the floor.

"Okay…" I admitted, letting my shoulders fall in defeat. "I need help…"

"Don't worry Saru-chan. I'll walk you to the locker room." Demyx said, smiling.

"Thanks Demyx, that's really sweet."

…

- In the Locker Room -

…

After Demyx walked me to the locker room, he offered to come inside and help me with my shoes. But I insisted that I would be fine after that point, and I also didn't want him to get pummeled by the other girls and be mistaken for a pervert when he really wasn't. Even though he had good intentions, I didn't want him to get his ass kicked. You'd be surprised how tough some girls can be…

I did have a hard time changing clothes because of the pulled muscle in my leg, but I managed to do so without too many problems. Just as I was standing up, the cheerleaders walked by and pushed me back onto the seat. They surrounded me, standing in a circle so I could not run away. It wasn't like I could anyway; the stunt that one girl pulled on me back in the gym made me pull a muscle in my leg so I couldn't run.

"So…" The blonde girl that tripped me said in a snobbish tone. "Word on the street is that you have amnesia, and you can't remember anything…"

"_What! How'd _she_ know that!"_

"You probably don't even remember me… so allow me to refresh your memory…"

I saw her hand ball into a fist, and, before I knew it, she punched me square in the face. The other girls stopped what they were doing and watched as I fell out of my seat and onto the floor, but none of them dared to make a move to help because they were afraid of getting punched too.

"That was for that stunt you pulled in the lunch room a month ago. Next time you pick a fight with me, you'll get more than just a punch," The blonde snapped, raising her foot to kick me. "Here's a little sample…"

She was about to kick me when a voice rang out, catching everyone by surprise.

"Leave her alone, Monique."

I looked up from my place on the floor and saw, none other than, Kairi, her - otherwise calm and happy - face distorted into an angry scowl. Her eyes were burning with anger.

"What are _you_ doing here, Kairi?" One of the cheerleaders asked rudely, crossing her arms in an attempt to intimidate her.

"Selphie left her schoolbag in here and she asked me to get it for her. It looks like I came at the right time."

"_I'll say…"_ I thought, sighing in relief. _"You arrived just in time to stop these psychos from kicking my ass…"_

"You stay out of this." 'Monique' snapped.

She noticed me try to get up and planted her foot on my back to prevent me from getting far.

"You stay down there! Laying on the ground like a dog suits you _so_ well…"

"Get off her Monique."

"You can't tell me what to do. Now back off Kairi, or you're next on my list." Then Monique turned to me and began to grind her foot into my back almost painfully.

"Once you're out of the way, Axel will be all mine…"

My eyes widened at this, and as the she and her fellow cheerleaders laughed, I felt another jolt in my brain.

…

_Axel and I were sitting at our lunch table waiting for the others when I saw Monique walking casually towards us, no doubt to try to flirt with Axel and insult me. So I did my best to ignore her as she leaned on the table, flicking back her wavy blonde hair every now and then._

"_Hey Axel." She said in a flirty voice that almost made me barf on the spot._

_His only reply was a practically nonexistent grunt of recognition._

_I didn't know why, but my blood was boiling as I watched her try to flirt with him. _

_Wait a minute… was I… jealous?_

"_So, Axel.." Monique began, twirling a strand of her hair with her finger. "What's someone as popular as you doing hanging out with the bottom of the food chain?"_

_It was true, Axel had become pretty popular at school so far._

_I could feel my face getting hot as I glared daggers at the girl who dared to flirt with _my_ Axel._

_Wait… 'my' Axel?_

_Now I knew how he felt when I kissed Riku on Destiny Islands…_

"_I really don't know, Monique…" Axel said casually. "But they make great friends."_

_I was relieved that he was sticking up for the rest of us, even if he was doing it so subtly, but it didn't look like Monique was about to give up just yet._

"_I'm sure they do. Why don't you come sit with us?"_

_She draped an arm around his shoulder, and I was resisting the urge to pummel that 'pretty' face of hers. The 'pretty' face with lips curled into a 'sexy' smile in an attempt to seduce the redhead that was clearly infatuated with _me_. _

_Not her._

Me_._

_But then she kept on talking._

"_Then maybe we could go to my house after school and have a few drinks. What do you say, Axel? I could make it worth your while…"_

_I had had enough of this. There was no way she was going to get him anywhere _near_ her house without prying him from my cold, dead hands first!_

_I grabbed Axel by the arm and hauled him away from her and yelled without thinking, "He's already with someone else!"_

_Axel looked at me with gaping wide eyes, as did everyone else, and Kairi, Roxas, Demyx, Sora, and Riku, who were returning from the lunch line nearly dropped their lunch trays in shock._

"_Is he now?" Monique asked with a sadistic smirk. "It wouldn't happen to be _you_, would it?"_

_I paused, suddenly recalling what I had just said, my face turning white._

"_What would he want with a dirty, rag doll scrub like you? Surely not in bed, I hope. I doubt even the Chess Club nerds would want you. I know I wouldn't."_

_I felt uncontrollable rage as my entire face turned beet red._

'_Dirty?'_

'_Rag-doll?'_

'Scrub_?'_

_And that 'bed' comment?_

_She had gone _way_ too far!_

"_You… _bitch_!" _

…

The pain suddenly stopped, and I was able to recover from my headache. I grabbed Monique's ankle and shoved her foot off of me, standing up and wiping the blood off my face from where she punched me. Kairi ran over to me to see if I was okay before she grabbed Selphie's bag. I raised my fist to punch her back, but I stopped myself when it came within two inches from her face. Kairi stared at me, afraid that I was actually going to go through with the act, but was relieved when my fist stopped.

"You know what?" I said, retracting my fist. "You're not even worth it. Come on, Kairi; let's go."

Kairi smiled and nodded as she helped me out of the locker room, leaving all the cheerleaders in a daze.

When I exited the locker room, I was surrounded by worried faces and I was bombarded with questions.

"Saru, are you okay!"

"What the hell happened to your face!"

"What happened, Saru-chan!"

"… Kairi? What're _you_ doing here?"

…

- Lunch -

…

"So, Monique punched you, huh? That explains the bruise on your face." Axel said, eyeing the bruise forming on my face. "You might want to slap some meat on that thing."

"Why would I want to put a piece of meat on my face? That sounds stupid." I huffed, waving off Axel's suggestion and stabbing my fork in the lunch tray.

"I could get some ice for you, if you want," Demyx offered, almost halfway out of his chair in anticipation.

"I'm _fine_." I growled as he sat down immediately, folding his hands over his thighs like an obedient puppy.

"So, how's your memory been lately?" Kairi asked, trying to change the subject.

"I'm slowly getting it back. I don't really remember anything past that fight, though…" I solemnly swirled the apple juice I was drinking around in its can, watching it turn into a mini-whirlpool.

I soon noticed that everyone at the table was staring at me intently, almost as if they were waiting for me to remember something else. But they all went back to having their conversations, and I had to sit back and listen because they were talking about things I had no clue about. Sora noticed how quiet I was being and whispered to the others, and I could only make out some of the things they were saying

This was what I was able to hear:

"Do you think we should?"

"No, that won't work."

"Well what do _you_ think we should do?"

"Ooh! I got it! How about…"

The rest of that sentence was said so quietly that I couldn't hear it. The others took a quick glance at me before getting back into their huddle, nodding at whatever idea they had come up with, with huge smiles on their faces.

"That's perfect!"

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but… you're a genius, Sora!"

"Hey! What's _that_ supposed to mean!"

"Shush!"

They scuffled back over to me and stared at me for a few minutes.

I blinked.

They blinked.

I blinked again.

They grinned.

I gulped.

Whatever they had up their sleeves, it probably wasn't going to be good…

…

- Destiny Island, After School -

…

Axel, Demyx and Roxas created a portal to a place that was called 'Destiny Island.' Kairi said that place was where she, Sora and Riku would hang out and play when they were younger. It was also the place where I remembered meeting Kairi and Riku, back when Riku completely hated my guts. I guess that bringing me there was supposed to help me regain my memory; that was probably the reason why they did it. I don't know. I can't read their minds.

"So…" Sora began. "… do you remember anything yet?"

When I shook my head in reply to his question, I saw a devious grin form on the brunette's face as he whispered something to Riku and walked away. He stared at me for a few seconds before his hand lashed out and he grabbed my schoolbag out of my hands and ran off with it.

"Hey!" I shouted, running after him. "Give that back! Riku!"

The pulled muscle in my leg had healed and I was able to run after Riku, but he was still faster than me. Hearing a splash, I ran faster, expecting the worst. When I caught up with Riku, my suspicions were confirmed. There was Riku, holding my empty schoolbag upside-down in his hand over the lagoon, with all of its contents floating in the water, soaking wet. Catching what his intentions were, I shot him a look that practically screamed 'don't even _think_ about it.' But he only smirked at me, as if my glare didn't affect him at all, and dropped the bag into the lagoon as I stared with wide, and angry, eyes.

"Why did you do that!" I yelled at him as he shrugged his shoulders and put his hands in his pockets.

"Don't look at me; Sora did it." He replied casually, trying to sound innocent.

…

"_When we first met, I filled your backpack with fish and hermit crabs, threw all your stuff into the lagoon, and I told you Sora did it."_

…

"Don't even _try_ to pull that with me! I'm not gonna fall for that same trick twice! That, and I already owe Sora _one_ apology because you were being a jerk! I am _not_ gonna have to owe him another one!"

Riku smiled when I pointed a reprimanding finger at him.

"So you're not gonna do anything? You're not even gonna _try_ to kick my butt?"

"Why would I want to do that?"

"I see." He walked over to me and grabbed my arm in a grip that wasn't uncomfortable, but strong enough so that I couldn't pull away. "Then maybe this will change your mind.."

"What do you-"

Before I could finish my sentence Riku smirked at me and gave me a hard shove, sending me flying into the lagoon. I was soaking wet, and I could hear him laughing his head off as I stood up and tried to wring the water out of my skirt. I turned around and gave him the nastiest death glare and picked up a handful of mud, throwing it at him and trying my best to hit him in the head with it. But he dodged out of the way and continued to laugh at me.

"You… _**JERK**_!"

It was bad enough that I was wearing a skirt; being wet only made it _worse_!

"So, are you ready to kick my butt now?" Riku asked coyly, with a smirk on his face.

"Oh, I'll do more than 'kick your butt…' I'm going to _**KILL**_ you!"

He laughed for a while, then leaned forward and extended his hand to help me up. I took it and gave him a nasty smirk. At first he didn't expect it, but then realized that he had it coming when he offered me his hand, when I pulled him into the lagoon with me. Since he was leaning forward, it was an opportunity that I couldn't wait to take advantage of. His balance was slightly off at that moment, which made it easier for me to pull him in. Soon, he was soaking wet too. He coughed and sputtered as he was spitting out water, and glared at me when I started laughing at him.

"Alright, I admit it; you got me. You can stop laughing now.." He grumbled, trying to ignore my fits of hysterics.

"Sorry Riku, but you kinda deserved that."

He continued to glare at me, then his gaze accidentally lowered to my chest. My shirt was white, and white clothes become see-through once they're wet, and he could see my bra. His face was covered in a heavy blush, but I didn't notice because my eyes were closed due to my uncontrollable laughter. When I opened my eyes, he was covering his face with his hand.

"Riku? You okay?"

"Huh?" Riku tried his best to maintain eye contact with me so that I wouldn't suspect him of anything; of staring at my chest, if you want to get technical. "I'm fine. We should get back to the others…"

"Yeah. And I owe Sora a good smack in the head, 'cuz I'm sure that this was _his_ idea. Honestly, I had no idea he was capable of evil plots…"

Riku laughed a little at how naïve I sounded. "He is, trust me.. On the first day of school, we came here to hang out, and he ended up torturing me with a Paopu Fruit."

"A… Paopu Fruit?"

…

_We rode out on a boat to go to Destiny Island, and were sitting on the big palm tree. Sora, Riku and Kairi were reminiscing about when they were younger, they would hang out there all the time. Kairi saw a Paopu Fruit and picked it off of the tree and tossed it to Riku, who didn't expect it and it hit him in the head. _

"_Huh?" He picked it up and looked at it, with a confused look on his face. _

"_What's this for?" He asked, looking at Kairi. _

_Sora caught on and grinned evilly, since Kairi told him about Riku's little 'secret' too. _

"_You know you wanna try it out, Riku." He teased, prodding at Riku's ribs with his elbow. _

_Riku narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What are you getting at?"_

"_Isn't there a 'special someone' you want to share it with?"_

"_What're you talking about?"_

_Sora wasn't fooled. He grabbed the fruit from Riku and put it in my face, still wearing that cheeky grin. _

"_Hey Saru."_

"_Hm?"_

"_Riku wants to know if you want to share this Paopu Fruit with him."_

_Riku began to panic, and tried to grab the Paopu Fruit back from Sora, but he held him back. _

"_Don't listen to Sora! He's lying!"_

_He frantically began reaching over Sora's shoulders to try and get the fruit back. But his efforts were in vain._

"_Really now?"_

"_Yup."_

"_Hm… Sorry. I'm not hungry."_

_Both Riku and Sora fell off of the tree and landed on the ground with a 'thud' at my unexpected answer. Apparently, they didn't know that I had no idea what the Paopu Fruit was used for. _

"_Talk about 'oblivious…'" Roxas whispered to Demyx, who put a hand to his mouth to stifle his snickering. _

_To everyone, it was apparent that Sora was exploiting Riku's crush on me and teasing him about it. It must have been revenge for Riku teasing him about his crush on Kairi. He snatched the Paopu Fruit from Sora and put it in his pocket, smacking the brunette in the back of the head. _

"_Ow! Come on Riku, you know I'm just messing with ya!" _

"_Right, Sora.."_

"_I'm serious!"_

"_Yeah. And I'm Mickey Mouse, king of Disney Castle.."_

"_You are?"_

_We all stared at Demyx, who was serious in asking this question, his face beaming with curiosity._

"_He was being _sarcastic_, Demyx…"_

"_Oohh…"_

…

Riku and I were on our way to the other side of the island to meet with the others. First, we had to fish my school stuff out of the lagoon, and I gave him a good smack in the head telling him never to do that again unless he liked having the crap beaten out of him by a girl. He laughed at my threat, just like everyone else usually did at first, but he was convinced that I meant business when I punched him in the arm.

"Riku…" I began, wringing some remaining water out of my hair. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course." Riku replied, putting his hands in his pockets.

"What's a Paopu Fruit used for anyway?"

He stopped in his tracks.

"… Um… well… you see…" He stuttered, suddenly feeling nervous. "It's very special…"

"Special how?"

"Well… if two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each other's lives no matter what."

"That sounds almost… romantic."

"Yeah. It kind of is. Sora must've done that to get back at me for all those times I teased him about Kairi. I guess it's true what they say about karma… it always comes back to bite you in the butt…"

…

"_Hey Saru. Riku wants to know if you want to share this Paopu Fruit with him."_

…

"Hey, you okay? Your face is all red."

Looking in a nearby pool, I discovered that Riku was right; my face was completely red. But it was red because I finally understood what Sora was trying to do when he asked me to share a Paopu Fruit with Riku. That was another reason to give him a good smack in the head when we got back with the others.

…

- Later, On the Other Side of the Island -

…

Sora, Kairi, Axel, Demyx, and Roxas were hanging out in the grove of palm trees when Kairi noticed me and Riku walking up the ramp towards them. She saw that we were sopping wet and glared at Sora, knowing that he was most likely responsible for it. The brunette only smiled sheepishly at her and shrugged as we walked up to them. He saw my glare and gulped, hiding behind Kairi.

"Kairi can't help you, you conniving little weasel!" I yelled, grabbing Sora by the collar and dragging him out into the open. "Because of you, my uniform is soaking wet!"

"Hey, wait a minute! I didn't tell Riku to push _you_ into the lagoon, he did that on his own!" Sora whined, trying to pry my hand from his collar.

"Yeah right, you liar! Ooh, if you weren't so cute and huggable, I'd… I'd…" I couldn't finish my sentence, I was so angry and flustered.

Sora had better thank his lucky stars that he was too adorable and cuddly to beat up, otherwise I would have done it and he would have been an unconscious heap by now. I just slapped him in the back of the head and grabbed him by the back of his shirt. His shirt was tucked into his pants, which is the rule at our school, so I yanked it out and pulled the shirt over his head, hindering his eyesight. The others stared in disbelief as they watched me commit the act but started laughing when I caught Sora in a headlock and gave him a noogie.

"Ah! Okay, I give! I give!" I heard him cry out in defeat, and I let him go as he fixed his shirt so it was back to normal.

"Jeez, you're worse than Riku…" He mumbled, smoothing out the wrinkles in his shirt.

"We all know you had that coming, Sora. Just be glad she didn't give you an atomic wedgie like last time." Roxas said, chuckling as Sora glared dejectedly in his direction.

"Total ownage." Axel whispered to Demyx, giving the nocturne a high-five.

The brunette heard him and grabbed a coconut off the ground, chucking it at Axel with all the strength he could muster. But the pyro dodged it effortlessly and kept on laughing.

"Shut up! … Hey, stop laughing!"

Sora blushed in embarrassment when we ignored him and continued to laugh at his expense. It definitely didn't look like he was going to live this little episode down any time soon.

…

- The Next Day -

…

Saturday.

A day that would usually be considered as a day of relaxation for me was transformed into a major pain in the ass - just like the _other_ days of the week..

Today, Axel and the others decided to take me on a little trip to a place called 'Twilight Town.'

It was a beautiful place, and the part of it that stood out the most was the clock tower that resided at the train station. Roxas, Axel and Demyx took me to get an ice cream, all the while explaining that this was where they took me when I met them for the first time. According to them, I slipped away when their backs were turned and that was how I ran into Sora. I guess that was how I got my little reputation as the 'sneakiest member in the Organization…' although, I think that creating portals is a lot 'sneakier' than just tiptoeing off when someone isn't looking.

Anyway, we got a few ice creams and hung out on the clock tower, admiring the view. The sky was a beautiful orange and purple, though it was hard to tell whether it was dawn or dusk.

"Hey Saru…" Demyx began, getting my attention. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Demyx. What is it?"

"What was your sister like?"

When I froze at his question, he gulped, thinking that he crossed the line. He, and the others, knew how touchy and emotional I was when it came to my sister. He was about to apologize when I put a hand up, silencing him before he could speak.

"It's okay Demyx, I'm fine, really." I said, ignoring Axel's disbelieving stare.

"Aubrey was…"

Aubrey was perfect - or, at least, as close to perfect as you could possibly get.

She was a cheerleader; a social butterfly. Everyone loved her.

Ever since I was a little girl, I had admired her and aspired to become like her. She wasn't the type of girl that was obsessed with looks; though she didn't need to be - she was positively gorgeous. Shiny brown hair, dazzling brown eyes, flawless slightly-tanned skin, perfectly balanced figure… she was a glowing picture of beauty. On top of that, she was the nicest girl you could ever meet - unless you happened to be the unlucky person that made her angry, which was very difficult to do since she was such a patient person. Every guy wanted to date her, and every girl wanted to be her. I couldn't say I blamed them…

I wanted to be like her too.

"She sure sounded like a great person." Roxas said for the first time in fifteen minutes, after my 'brief' explanation of how great Aubrey was.

"_Of course she was.."_ I thought almost bitterly, for reasons I didn't know.

Axel seemed to catch the sour look on my face, quirking an eyebrow at my silence. He was half-expecting me to be bawling after talking about my sister for so long, but he could only see an emotionless face. Of course, he could see through me like glass, so he could also see a lot of pent-up emotions behind the apathetic mask I was putting on.

"Let me guess…" He said in a matter-of-factly tone. "… you were jealous of her."

My eyes widened, and he knew that he struck a nerve.

"_Me? Jealous of Aubrey? No… That's not true…it can't be true…"_

Then I remembered all the times that she would pull of a gymnastics routine with ease, and ride a horse with expertise and grace. She could talk to people so easily, and she had so many friends I couldn't count them all. I had always wanted to do those things, but there were a few things standing in my way:

One: I wasn't agile or athletic.

Two: I was 'too young' to ride a horse.

And three: I was shy; the complete opposite of Aubrey.

"_Maybe he's right…" _I admitted to myself, tears welling up in my eyes. _"…maybe I _am_ jealous of Aubrey…"_

Roxas saw that I was getting upset by the conversation, and hushed the two older Nobodies, hindering them from asking anymore questions. It seemed best to give me a break and not bring up the 'big sis' subject again since I looked so broken up over it. The rest of the time we spent on the clock tower was spent in silence, as we finished our ice cream and they took me back to the castle.

Once again, there was silence.

…

_I could see the look on my mom's face when the police officer delivered the news, and she broke into a fit of broken sobs as she collapsed against Raymond, my stepfather. The police officer was crying also, since he went to school with my sister before he graduated, but not in the same degree as my mother was. He left after giving us his condolences, and our house was put into a state of disarray._

_It just didn't seem possible to me._

_She promised that she would always be there for me when I needed her._

"_Sweetheart?" Mom asked in a shaky voice, putting a hand on my shoulder._

_The action earned no response._

_I just went down to my room without another word._

_Later that night, I came back upstairs when my parents were asleep. Walking into the living room, I stopped and stared at the Christmas tree, the lights turned off for the night, and taking a quick glance underneath to see a pile of presents. A good portion of the presents were divided between Aubrey and me; her gifts were in blue wrapping, and mine were in red. I clenched my fists tightly and grabbed the tree by it's branches, swiftly pulling it down onto the floor, shattering a few ornaments and pulling the plug for the lights out of the socket. Fake snow was all over the floor, along with pieces of the broken ornaments. After seeing that I caused enough damage due to my flaring anger and sadness, I slunk back down to my room quietly._

_The mess I left behind was what my parents found on Christmas morning; a toppled tree with broken branches, and the first violent act that I have ever displayed in my life before that night. Even if it was only a tree, it was the start of something much worse._

…

Once I was back in my room, I stared at myself in the mirror. After a few minutes, it seemed like it was mocking me, as it replaced my image with Aubrey's. My heart clenched and I felt my face become red with anger. The image of my sister opened her mouth to speak, the words echoing throughout the room sending a jolt through my heart.

"_You don't ever have to be afraid; I'll always be there for you whenever you need me."_

I felt my heart skip a beat as Aubrey's image stared at me with that smile she always had when she was trying to cheer me up when I was little. That smile made my insides become engulfed in flames, and my hands clenched into fists. My stomach lurched and I suddenly felt like I was going to throw up. I couldn't take it anymore. Just looking at her image was tearing me up inside.

"Shut _up_!"

The mirror shattered from the contact with my fist, pieces falling everywhere as a few embedded themselves into my hand, making me wince in pain. I couldn't remember the last time I broke a mirror, but all I knew was that breaking one was seven years bad luck. Not that it mattered. My left hand was beginning to bleed as droplets were falling to the floor one by one. I collapsed to the floor as Roxas warped into my room, hearing the crash from his own, and gasped at the sight of my bleeding hand. He quickly left, most likely to get Axel, or Zexion - probably both, exclaiming the same phrase over and over.

"Saru's bleeding! Saru's bleeding!"

Only a few members were in the castle, as most of them were sent away on missions to God-knows-where.

Those members were Axel, Roxas, Zexion, Demyx, and, of course, me.

Axel's door flew open upon hearing the sandy-haired Nobody's outburst, and Zexion's and Demyx's doors opened also. They were staring at Roxas in disbelief, silently hoping that what he was screaming wasn't true.

"Saru's _what_!" The redhead exclaimed anxiously.

"She's bleeding!"

"What happened?" Zexion asked, trying to keep his cool - though, on the inside, he was just as worried as the rest of them were.

"I don't know." Roxas replied, shrugging. "I just heard a crash coming from her room. I went to see what was wrong, and I found her on the floor with a bleeding hand and the mirror on her dresser was broken."

"She _punched _the mirror? What would possess her to do that?"

"Again, I don't know. But we have to help her - her hand could get infected, or she could bleed to death!"

Axel didn't need to be told twice as he immediately summoned a portal and stepped into it before the others could respond. When he reappeared in my room, he found me on the floor sobbing brokenly and clutching my bleeding hand. He reached a hand to touch my shoulder when my head shot up to look him in the eye. But I wasn't seeing clearly. My mind was in a fog, as I could only see Aubrey no matter where I looked.

"You lied to me…" I seethed, glaring at - who I thought was - my sister.

"Huh? What're you talking about?" Axel questioned, completely confused by my behavior towards him.

But I couldn't hear what he said. I could see his lips moving, but his voice wasn't the one I was hearing.

"You said you'd always be there when I needed you! You promised! You _promised_, dammit!" I almost screamed, grabbing Axel's shoulders and shoving him onto the floor.

He was unprepared for the assault, and he was also unprepared for when I immediately began swinging my fists at him, nearly striking him in the face.

"Saru, get a hold of yourself!"

Though I could not hear him, Axel did his best to defend himself against my flailing fists.

"Why did you have to die and leave me all alone, Aubrey! _Why_!"

"Saru, come on! It's me, Axel!"

"You're my sister! You were supposed to look out for me!"

"Snap out of it!"

I was brought out of my delusional fit when Axel's hand struck me across the face, the stinging pain bringing me back to reality. Blinking, I realized that the person I was punching and hitting was Axel instead of Aubrey. The bleeding in my left hand had worsened due to hitting Axel in a blind frenzy. The pain in my hand was beginning to get unbearable as the tears kept falling.

"Axel… I'm so sorry, I…"

Suddenly I felt two strong arms wrap around my torso and pull me forward, and I suddenly found myself flush against Axel's body. That was exactly what the others saw when they arrived in the room, first-aid kit in hand. I, however, did not notice them; I was overwhelmed by the warmth radiating off of the body beside me. For a reason I could not understand, the pain in my hand was dying down to almost nothing and I suddenly felt my eyelids grow heavy. The last thing I saw was a pair of green eyes before I passed out.

…

- The Next Day -

…

So many things were flooding my mind, making me feel an unbelievable stinging pain. Images were passing in front of my eyes at breakneck speeds, at a pace that I couldn't even attempt to keep up with. It took me a while to realize that the images whizzing past me were past memories playing themselves over and over again in my head.

Suddenly, I could remember it all.

The pieces were finally coming back together, and the painful throbbing subsided, but there was one vital piece still missing - though I had no idea what it was.

I opened my eyes slowly and found that I was laying on my bed, and the room was void of any other bodies except for my own; and, of course, my two pets. Lifting up my right arm, I was almost shocked to see that it was covered in bandages. At first, I didn't know why, but the mirror's empty frame refreshed my memory. I would have slapped myself for doing something so stupid, but my right hand still ached from punching the mirror and my left hand wasn't good for much of anything. I was completely oblivious to the dark portal that was forming in the corner of the room. A familiar face poked out of the darkness and smiled as soon as their eyes rested on me.

"Saru! You're okay!"

The sudden outburst surprised me, but I was relieved to find that it was only Roxas.

"Oh… Hey Roxas.."

He ran out of the portal and caught me in a hug, which caught me off guard.

"You really scared us yesterday, Saru." Roxas' voice sounded shaky, as if he was about to cry.

I could hear the sound of the mirror shattering repeating itself in my head, and it made me feel guilty. That guilt was so powerful, I thought that I felt that there was no way I could ever apologize enough for what my actions yesterday had caused. It also made me feel like a total ass, considering the fact that it made the others so worried about me.

"I'm sorry, Roxas…"

"It's alright. At least you're okay." Roxas said, wiping his eyes as he smiled. "You should go talk to Axel, though."

"Why? What's wrong with him?" I asked anxiously, ready to get up and rush out the door.

"Nothing." The sandy-haired Nobody replied calmly. "He just didn't handle the situation well. He was extremely irritable today, too… Maybe if you talked to him, he'd be in a better mood. I think he's in his room right now."

…

Upon reaching the door to Axel's room, I raised my left hand hesitantly to knock on the door. I didn't know what kind of mood he was in now, I just hoped that he was in a better mood than what Roxas had described to me earlier. I could never imagine Axel being angry, and I don't think I wanted to. And I was also a little afraid that he would lash out at me. So I just stood there like an idiot in front of his door, too nervous to even knock.

That problem was solved, however, when I heard a voice call out from behind the door, "I know it's you, Saru. It's okay, you can come in."

I grasped the knob and turned it, opening the door and stepping into his room. Sure enough, there was Axel, laying on his bed and tossing a flame-patterned hacky-sack in the air repeatedly. When he acknowledged that I was in the room, he sat up and turned his head to face me. It was then that I noticed a small bruise on his face, which must have been from when I was beating the living crap out of him yesterday.

"Axel… your face…"

Axel blinked.

"Hm? Oh, you mean this?" He asked, pointing to the bruise. "This is nothing compared to what you normally put me through."

"I'm sorry for flipping out on you, Axel." I apologized, only to have Axel smile at me.

"It's okay," He said, waving it off. "You were out of it. So… How's your memory?"

"I'm not sure," I admitted, scratching the back of my head.

"Let's put it to the test, then."

Axel put a finger to his chin as he went into deep thought, thinking of the perfect question to ask.

It had to be a question that only I knew the answer to..

Aha!

He got it!

"Okay, Saru. I want you to tell me the deepest, darkest secrets of every single member in this organization."

Wow… this one was a tough one to remember (not really). But, of course, every Organization XIII member has a few skeletons in their closet, if you know what I mean. And of course I knew all of their secrets; what else do you think I do when I'm bored? I listed each member according to their rank, starting with Xemnas.

"Xemnas is allergic to chocolate, Xigbar shot Saïx in the butt and said it was you…"

"That conniving son-of-a-"

"Xaldin's secret hobby is knitting, Vexen is afraid of zombies, Lexaeus has a pet fish in his room - named Kiki - that no one knows about, Zexion likes to read smut late at night, Saïx sleeps in Heartless footie pajamas, you like to make muscles at yourself in the mirror when you use the bathroom…"

"Wait, how did you-"

"Demyx watches sappy soap operas late at night on the weekends when everyone is asleep, Luxord only lost one game of strip poker and it was against Zexion, Marluxia likes to sing '_I Feel Pretty_' when no one in the organization is around…"

"Jeez, no wonder the other members call him a homo…"

"Larxene likes reading romance novels, Roxas gets allergic reactions if he ever wears anything from _Fruit of the Loom_, and my secrets are none of your business."

Axel stared at me with wide eyes when I finished my little list of secrets. He was surprised that I knew so much about the organization, but, then again, there was no reason why he should be.

"Okay.." He said after two minutes of silence. "I think it's safe to say that your memory is one-hundred percent recovered. And, to celebrate your recovery, what do you say we take a little trip to the mall tomorrow?"

I put a finger to my lips and thought for a moment, taking my sweet time with coming up with an answer.

"Sure. But you're paying."

"Aw man… I _always_ end up paying… Do you have _any_ idea how much munny you owe me?"

…

…

**Banshee: Like I said; I could have done this better..**


	39. Red vs Blue

**Banshee: Hello, it's me, Banshee. I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've had a severe case of writer's block, plus I was at the beach for 2 & 1/2 weeks, and I have NO internet down there. This chapter is sort of a filler; I really liked the idea so I put it in. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, or anything associated with it. Square Enix does. I just own my OC and the plot, so please don't sue.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Red vs. Blue

* * *

Getting my memory back was one of the most confusing things I had to deal with. But I was glad when it was finally over. Things were back to normal, although I still have a bump on my head from where the kickball hit…

That was _some_ kick…

…

…

Due to all the bruises we kept receiving from dodge ball, our P.E. teacher decided to have us play a different game instead. The entire class - which was made up of about thirty kids - took a vote, and the game that was chosen was the classic game of Capture the Flag. The game was to be held in the nearby park, which was the size of three football fields, maybe even bigger, and had playhouses for the kids. On one side of the park was a large fort that sported red flags on the front; it was to serve as the Red Team's base. An equally large fort sat on the other side of the park, but was adorned with blue flags. Most of the park was made up of forests, with little playgrounds and playhouses strewn about, which made great places to hide.

We were all hoping to be on the same team, but our gym teacher, Mr. Ryan, had other plans. He separated the six of us; Axel, Demyx, and Riku on the Red Team, and Sora, Roxas, and me on the Blue Team. As much as we disagreed with this plan, there's really no arguing with a large bulky black man who has served in the military, and has a voice that sounds like an angry bull elephant. So we put on our designated pinnies, and got with our team members, without complaint.

Once everyone was ready, Mr. Ryan led us out to the park. It wasn't a very long walk, and before we knew it, we were right in the center of the entire park. He turned to face us and told each team to elect a leader, and when we had decided, he handed our team leader a flag.

The Red Team's leader was Wakka, and the Blue Team's leader was Tidus.

Then Mr. Ryan said in his big booming voice, "Now that your team leaders have been chosen, it is now time to hide your flags. I'm sure you all know the rules to this game, and if you don't, ask someone who _does_. You have ten minutes before the game begins. Go! Go! _Go_!"

Both teams rushed into their areas to figure out places to hide their flag. Sora, Roxas, and I decided to help Tidus hide our flag. Once the flag was hidden, we waited for what seemed like an hour until we heard the whistle being blown. The other members on our team went ahead as soon as they heard it, but the three of us stayed behind to discuss our situation.

"So, where do you think the Red Team is keeping their flag?" Sora asked as he hung on to a tree branch.

"Beats me." Roxas replied. "It could be anywhere."

"We'll split up and look for it, then." I said, watching for anyone in a red pinny.

"What about our flag?" Roxas asked.

"It's okay. Selphie's guarding it."

"Wow, that's _very_ reassuring…" The sandy-haired Nobody muttered, rolling his eyes.

"So that's the plan? Splitting up? What is one of us gets caught?" Sora asked anxiously.

"Then we get caught. But if you're a fast runner, then you don't have anything to worry about, now, do you?" I inquired in a matter-of-factly tone, pinching Sora's left leg, making him yelp.

"I guess you have a point there…" The brunette agreed, rubbing the part of his leg that I had pinched. "All right, let's do it."

Our trio kept walking until we reached a white line that stood as the border between the Red and Blue teams' territories. That was when we separated; Roxas went to the left, Sora went to the right, and I just continued walking straight.

…

- Roxas' POV -

…

The hairs on the back of my neck were standing up as I trudged through the heavy brush, feeling as if a member of the Red Team would jump out at me at any moment. But so far, I saw nothing, not even a single glimpse of red. Each team had about fifteen members in it, and there was no doubt in my mind that half of them stayed behind to guard their flag. I wasn't worried about them, though. Axel, Demyx, and Riku were the only members that could be considered a threat… at least to me, anyway. I don't know what Sora and Saru think about this.

A flash of red appeared in the corner of my eye, but when I turned around, no one was there. I thought it was just my imagination at first, until I heard a twig snap behind me. Turning around, I saw a chubby-looking boy standing behind my with his arms raised.

He was about to tag me!

Without thinking, I summoned a dark portal and disappeared inside it, leaving the boy in disbelief. The portal reopened and I reappeared several yards away. I could still see the boy's red pinny, but I was too far away for him to see me. Quietly slinking away, I kept looking back to see if I was being followed. I was too preoccupied with what was going on behind me, and ended up bumping into another body. I looked up, expecting to see a red pinny, but was relieved to see that it was blue.

"Roxas?" An all-too-familiar voice inquired.

I blinked, my eyes wide in shock.

"_Sora_!"

There was Sora, my Other, his spiky brown hair messier than usual and some smudges of dirt on his face. And it looked like he was sprayed with a hose, for his gym uniform and pinny were soaking wet.

"What're you doing here? And what happened to you?"

"I went the way I was supposed to, but I got cornered by three Reds at once. They started chasing me, but I managed to get away from them by jumping in the river." Sora said, wringing out his shirt.

"There's a river here?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah. They stopped chasing me after I jumped in. Then I got out and started walking, and, next thing I knew, I ran into you."

"Did you see Saru anywhere?"

The brunette shook his head.

"No, I didn't see her."

"You think she got caught?"

"It's not likely, unless she ran into Axel, Riku, or Demyx."

"Should we go look for her?"

"We have to go look for the flag."

"We'll never find it. Besides, friends have to look out for each other."

I sighed and shook my head. "Well… I guess you're right…"

Sora beamed, and we set off to go look for Saru. Hopefully, she hasn't been caught yet.

…

- Riku's POV -

…

"This stinks…" I heard Demyx whine. "I wanted to be on the Blue Team with Saru…"

"There's no use whining about it now. You should have said something to Mr. Ryan when we first got assigned to our teams." Axel pointed out.

"Mr. Ryan scares me…"

Axel and I ignored what Demyx just said, contemplating on what we were going to do. We hung out at our team's base, discussing our plan.

"So what's the plan?" I asked, as I watched Axel pace back and forth.

He ignored me and kept pacing for a few more minutes, until he stopped, a thought popping into his head.

"We'll split up and look for the other team's flag."

"Wow, how original.." I muttered sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

"Hey, it works, doesn't it?"

Not being able to argue with his logic, and not even being in the mood to argue, I merely sighed, "I can't really argue with you there."

"It's decided then." Axel said. "You guys go look for the Blue's flag, and I'll stay here and guard ours."

He gestured first to Demyx and I, then the door during the first part of his sentence. During the second part of the sentence, he gestured to himself. This meant that he was staying to guard the flag while Demyx and I had to go out and risk being tagged.

"Why do _you_ get to guard the flag?" I demanded, pointing a finger at the redhead.

He paused for a minute, looking out one of the fort's windows before looking back at us and answering, "… I just have a feeling. Now go!"

I exchanged looks with the nocturne, who merely shrugged his shoulders as we made our way out the door. Neither of us knew exactly what Axel was planning, but we both knew that we could trust him with guarding the flag. So we kept on going, not saying a word to each other, aside from idle conversation.

…

- Sora's POV -

…

As Roxas and I continued our trek through the woods, I finally understood that eerie feeling that he kept talking about. It was like a nagging voice in the back of our heads, and mine just wouldn't shut up. This feeling kept telling me that we were being watched - by teammate or enemy, however, we had no idea.

Roxas tried to calm me down by saying it was all in my head, but I've had this feeling before while dealing with Heartless and the Organization's Nobody flunkies. A few minutes went by, and I began to get uncomfortable. I fiddled with my fingers, and I had an un controllable urge to look over my shoulder every five seconds.

"Roxas?" I asked hesitantly.

"What?"

"You ever feel like something _really_ bad is about to happen?"

He gave me a weird look, like I was asking this question out of pure nervousness. Sure, that's why I was asking, but there was definitely another reason and I just couldn't put my finger on it.

"No." He answered. "Why?"

We stopped in our tracks as we were suddenly surrounded by Reds, on every side with no way out. I was about ready to summon my Keyblade, but I remembered that Roxas and I were surrounded by a bunch of teenagers - not Heartless.

"I don't know… just a feeling…"

"Well, well, well…" Said one of the Reds. "Looks like we got ourselves a couple of Blues. Tag 'em!"

The Reds came running at us like a stampede and I was certain that it was over. That is, I thought it was over until Roxas grabbed my arm.

"Hold on. I can get us out of this."

Before I knew it, he had summoned a dark portal. I felt cold as the darkness surrounded me. But just as I was getting used to it, the darkness went away and we were standing near one of the play structures. Looking around for more Reds, but finding none, I looked back at Roxas.

"I thought you weren't supposed to use your powers during school."

"I'm not. But if I didn't, then the both of us would have been done for. You do _not_ want to be tackled by seven kids at once…"

I looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Huh?"

"Here's a clue: Never play Rugby."

"Ooh… Well _that_ certainly explains a lot." I said, catching on to Roxas' hint. "Anyway, we should get back to finding Saru."

"It's about time you two showed up. Oh well.. Better late than never, I guess."

A figure wearing a red pinny stepped out from behind a tree, walking towards us with his arms crossed. It took me a only a moment to figure out who it was, because there was only one person I knew that had silver hair and aqua green eyes.

Standing before us was, none other than, my best friend Riku.

"Hello Sora." He said with a small smirk, which was a tell-tale sign that he was up to something.

"Riku." I replied in a monotone voice, staring at him with a distrusting look.

"Sorry Riku, but we don't have time for this." Roxas interjected, making me break eye contact with Riku. "We're supposed to be looking for Saru."

"Before you even ask, no, I haven't seen her. Jeez, you act like she can't handle herself." Riku said as he bent down to pick up a pinecone that was on the ground.

Roxas and I watched him warily as he picked it up, not knowing what he was up to. He stood there, tossing the pinecone up into the air and catching it, repeating the action over and over for about a minute. Clutching the pinecone in his hand, he looked over at us and smirked. Before we could react, he shouted, "Think fast!"

He threw the pinecone at us, and I barely managed to dodge it as it scraped across my side. It was obviously meant to distract us, as I saw him run towards us just after he threw it. I pushed Roxas out of the way, not wanting him to get tagged, and moved just in time to avoid getting tagged myself. Suddenly feeling a cold spot behind me, I moved myself away from it just in time to avoid being grabbed by a pair of hands that sprouted from a portal that appeared behind me. Demyx appeared out of the portal a few seconds later. At that moment I knew that only one of us would get out of this, so I turned to Roxas.

"Go on without me!" I shouted, seeing Roxas' eyes widen in shock.

"What!" He exclaimed.

"Just go!" I yelled back, while dodging Riku and Demyx's attempts to tag me. "I'll be fine!"

Roxas seemed a little reluctant to go and leave me all alone, but he knew as well as I did that only one of us would be able to get away. After all, he can teleport, and I can't. He summoned a portal and quickly left, and not long after that I felt Riku's hand grab my pinny.

"Gotcha!"

"_Crap! Well, at least Roxas was able to get away…"_ I thought as I was being led to the prison. _"I wonder where Saru is… hopefully, she hasn't been tagged yet…"_

…

- Saru's POV -

…

It felt like hours since I last saw Sora and Roxas, even though we only separated almost a half-hour ago. My feet were so sore from walking that it seemed like they were about to fall off, and I've swatted so many mosquitoes I've lost count. I had several scratches on my arms from the tree branches, and there were splotches of dirt on my legs, shorts, and shirt. My hair, which had been tied up because it was more convenient, was starting to come out of its ponytail.

I was worried when I didn't see anyone with a red pinny, but, then again, I didn't want to. I haven't been tagged so far, and I certainly don't plan on it.

"_Damn it…"_ I thought angrily, kicking a pinecone. _"I knew I should have sat out today. I could have used the time to finish my book. But, then again, I left my reading glasses back at the castle…"_

For those of you that don't know, I do wear glasses. But I only need them to read, because I am farsighted. Even though I make jokes about not being able to see without them, I only need them to read. Just thought I'd clear that up.

I kept walking for about fifteen minutes until I came to a large fort with red flags across the front; the Red Team's base. I was about to walk towards it when I heard footsteps coming from inside. Panicking, I clung to the wall of the fort, being careful not to make a single sound.

"You see any Blues yet?" I heard a boy ask.

"No, not yet. I ran into a kid with spiky brown hair earlier, but he got away from me and the others by jumping into the river." The other boy replied.

"And you couldn't jump in after him?" The first boy asked with annoyance.

"You know damn well that I can't swim, Justin!" The second boy exclaimed, equally annoyed. "Even if I could, I wouldn't waste my time going after him! Would _you_?"

I heard 'Justin' sigh before he said, "I guess not."

I hid next to the corner as the two boys exited the fort, hearing the leaves crunch under their feet. Again, I was careful not to make any noise.

"Well… Wakka said to keep watch for any Blues. So let's go."

Their crunching footsteps grew more distant, and, just to be sure, I hesitantly peered around the corner. When I saw that they were gone, I let out a huge sigh of relief, and quietly made my way to the door. Quietly slipping inside, I made sure to be as quiet as possible, not wanting to attract the attention of any Reds that stayed at the base.

I checked every room I could find, avoiding some Reds along the way, until I reached a room that had a red curtain for a door. Pushing the curtain aside, I walked into the room and stopped after two steps. There, sitting on top of a little table, was a red flag. I cautiously walked towards the table and stared at the flag for a few seconds, searching it for any booby traps. Finding none, I reached for the flag. I was about to grab it when a dark portal appeared underneath it. I stared in shock as the flag sank into the portal and disappeared.

"_W-What the-!"_

"Ah, ah, ah…" A familiar voice scolded. "I hate to break it to you sweetheart, but getting this flag isn't that easy."

I cringed at that voice, knowing full well who it belonged to.

"Axel.."

"Nice to see you too, honey." Axel said, smirking playfully.

"Well?" I asked after a few seconds of silence. "Aren't you going to tag me?"

Axel shrugged. "As much as I'd _love_ to make you my prisoner, if I took you out, the game wouldn't be as much fun. By the way, you look good for someone who's been running around in the woods; not a lot of people look too good covered in dirt."

His grin slightly faltered at the sight of my glare, but he recovered quickly, twirling the flag in his hand. He noticed that I kept staring at it anxiously, and his smirk got wider as the gears began turning in his head.

"What? You want this flag?" Axel asked coyly, waving the flag back and forth in front of me.

"Obviously, otherwise I wouldn't be in here right now." I said in a matter-of-factly tone.

"Alright." He said, placing the flag back onto the table and taking a few steps away from it. "Go on, then. Take it."

I looked between the flag and Axel with a distrusting visage, the conniving grin on his face setting off red flags in my brain. A part of me told me to turn around and high-tail it out of the Reds' base as quickly as possible, but the other told me to run over, grab the flag, and then jump out the window as a means of escape. But, when the plan played over in my head, it only took a turn for the worse. The fort was the size of a two-story house, and the fall wouldn't be too pleasant. I was able to set it up into three scenarios:

One: I would jump out the window, and get injured as a result.

Two: I would jump, and then Axel would teleport outside the base and catch me, which would also count as a tag, landing me in jail.

Three: He would wait until I got the flag, and then tag me.

Either way, I was screwed.

The redhead noticed the look on my face and said, "What are you waiting for? Take the flag. No one is stopping you."

I refused to move.

"Alright then, let's make this a bit more interesting. I'll let you grab the flag, and I'll even give you a ten second head start. Sounds fair, right?"

At first I didn't trust him, but I've known Axel long enough to know that he doesn't go back on his word. So I went along with it. I cautiously walked over to the table, never taking my eyes off of Axel the entire time, in case he had some sort of trick up his sleeve. I reached for the flag and grabbed it, looking back at Axel.

"Ten…"

"_Crap! He started counting! I've gotta get out of here!"_

I turned tail and ran out of the room, barreling down the hallways of the base, not caring if anyone heard me. I kept running until I reached a set of stairs and descended as quickly as I could, without tripping, and made a beeline for the door. Once outside, I ran towards the woods, making my way back to my team's side of the white line. After running for what seemed like forever, my lungs were burning and my legs ached. I was relieved, however, when I saw the white line, and attempted to run faster in order to reach it.

Suddenly, a swirling black portal appeared right in front of the line, and I was forced to come to a screeching halt. Standing before me was - none other than - Axel, who was looking at me with a smug smirk on his face.

"Time's up."

Before I had any time to react, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine. I felt my face grow hot, and I knew that it was turning a bright shade of pink. The kiss ended as soon as it began as Axel pulled away, leaving me dazed, and somewhat… disappointed.

"By the way… that counts as a tag. Sorry sweetheart, but you're out."

His statement brought me back to reality, and now I was red for a different reason.

"You conniving son-of-a-!"

"Ah, ah, ah, language…"

"Once this game is over, you are _so __**dead**_!"

Almost on cue, Riku crossed over from the Blues' side of the line carrying a blue flag. Mr. Ryan announced that the Red Team had won, and had everyone walk back to the school. Wakka spent the whole time rubbing his team's victory in Tidus' face, and I was too tired to walk, so Demyx carried me. When he asked me why my face was red, neither me nor Axel said a word. But Riku, Sora, and Roxas had an idea of what happened, and so did Kairi when we all met up for lunch. It was then that I realized that there was no way I could have gotten from the Red Team's fort all the way to the white line in just ten seconds. Axel ended up confessing that he gave me two minutes instead.

I am _so_ going to get him back for that stunt he pulled during the game. I don't know how, but I'm going to get him back…

…

…


	40. A Visit to Mother

**Banshee: Hello everybody. I don't have much to say about this, so I'll just say: Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I make no money from this, I just own the plot. So no suing, please.**

**On with the story!**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Nine: A Visit to Mother

* * *

Suddenly, I wasn't very happy at the Castle That Never Was. It wasn't the other Organization members that were causing my unhappiness; it was _me_. Thoughts that were pushed to the back of my head months ago were finally coming back to haunt me, almost like whatever higher power that was running things just _loved_ to cause me never ending grief. The others were getting pretty worried, especially since I haven't hit Axel in three days; usually, I couldn't go five seconds without hitting him because he always did something stupid.

"Saru, what's wrong?" Roxas asked as he noticed me just stare blankly at my bowl of cereal. "You're not acting like yourself."

"Yeah, you're not eating. I thought you loved Cheerios.." Demyx added, grabbing one of the little o's and holding it out to me.

"I'm fine, I just…" I trailed off. "I just miss my mom, that's all."

"If you miss her so much, why don't you go see her?" Roxas asked.

At his question, my head shot up from staring at the tabletop, my eyes beaming. I hugged the fifteen-year-old, giving him a kiss on his head.

"That's a great idea, Roxas! I'll go call her right now!" I exclaimed excitedly, letting him go and running to the phone.

Grabbing the phone, I dialed my parent's number, waiting for someone to pick up. Soon enough, someone did, and it was the very person that I wanted to talk to.

"Hello?" I heard my mom's voice on the other end of the line.

"Hi mom."

She gasped, and I could have sworn I heard her squeal.

"Hi sweetie! How are you doing?" She asked, acting as if she hadn't heard from me in twenty years.

"I'm fine, mom. Say, are you doing anything tomorrow?"

"No. Your father's using my car to go to work, since his pickup is getting fixed, and he's at work almost all day. So I'm at home all day tomorrow. Why?"

"I was wondering if I could come over and we could spend the day together."

"Of course, sweetie! And are you bringing your little friends, too?"

"I have to, mom. I wouldn't be able to get there without them."

"Which one is your boyfriend again? The tall redhead?"

"You mean Axel? No, he's not my…" I paused when I noticed that Axel and Demyx were leaning in my direction to listen in on the conversation. They instantly backed off when they saw my glare, and returned to their seats at the table. Axel had a small grin on his face when he heard what mom said about him being my boyfriend, making me groan and roll my eyes. "Never mind."

Mom giggled and said, "I'll see you tomorrow, honey. Goodbye."

"Bye."

I hung up the phone and walked over to the drawer, pulling it open and reaching inside. Rummaging through the drawer, I finally found what I was looking for: a large metal spoon. Twirling the spoon in my hand, I took aim and tossed the spoon at Axel. It collided with his head, and he yelped in pain. I grinned, quite pleased with myself, and sat back down at the table to finish my bowl of Cheerios.

…

- The Next Day -

…

I picked out my best casual clothes, and so did the others, and made sure to feed Hazel and Momo before I went to see my mom. The four of us met in the living room, and Axel summoned a portal to take us to my parent's house.

When we arrived, my mom was at the door waiting for us, squealing in excitement as soon as she saw me. She ran out the house (we were standing outside on the front yard), and wrapped her arms around me, giving me kisses. She did the same thing with the boys, who cringed instinctively upon receiving the kisses.

"It's so good to see you kids." My mom sighed. "It feels like ages since I last saw you."

"It's nice to see you too, Mrs. Hale. How's your husband?" Roxas asked as my mom released him, after giving him a bunch of kisses.

When she was done giving kisses, mom led us into the house, where we made ourselves comfortable on the couch.

"Oh, please, call me Cathy." She said sweetly. "And Raymond's doing fine. Would you boys like some cookies? I just baked them this morning."

"Thanks, Mrs. Ha… I mean, Cathy." Demyx said politely, taking one of the cookies that my mom offered.

Axel, Roxas, and I had some cookies too.

"So…" Mom began, looking at me. "How long have you and Axel been dating?"

I almost choked on the cookie that I was eating due to the shock. I could tell Axel was too, because I caught him giving himself a mini-Heimlich maneuver. He wasn't nearly as shocked - or embarrassed - as I was, though.

"M-Mom!" I exclaimed as soon as I could speak again, my face turning pink.

…

- Axel's POV -

…

I was enjoying the cookies that Saru's mom had made for us. Now I know where Saru gets her talent from.

"So…" I heard her mom say. "How long have you and Axel been dating?"

The cookie suddenly got caught in my throat, and it took a mini-Heimlich maneuver to get it out. Saru was choking on hers too, but she coughed it up before it got too serious. Her face was as red as… well… my hair, and she looked like she wanted to fall through the floor.

"M-Mom!"

"They've been together for a while now." Demyx beamed, taking another cookie from the plate. "In fact…"

He groaned in pain when I smacked him in the back of the head, cutting off whatever else he had to say.

"Ow.. What'd you do that for?" He whined.

"Keep talking, and we'll both be dead when we get back to the castle." I growled.

"What do you mean by 'we'll _both_ be dead?'"

"It means that Saru will kill you for saying what you said, and she'll also kill Axel because she'll think he told you to say it." Roxas interjected, answering Demyx's question before I had the chance to say anything.

"Oh…"

"Sweetie, are you all right?" Cathy asked, as Saru coughed.

"I'm fine, mom. I just need a drink."

With that, she got up from her seat on the couch and walked into the kitchen to get herself a drink. I noticed how fast she was walking, and decided that I needed a drink too. After nearly choking to death, I guess it would be a good idea to have a glass of water.

"I need a drink too." I said, getting up and following Saru into the kitchen.

When I got into the kitchen, I found Saru leaning against the counter. She looked kind of sad.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked, getting her attention.

"Huh? Oh, yeah.. I'm fine.." Saru replied, twiddling her fingers around her glass.

The two of us sat there for a couple minutes, in complete silence except for the sink running when I got myself some water.

"Are you embarrassed about what your mom said about us… you know… dating?"

She smiled, shaking her head. "No. It's a parent's job to embarrass their kids; that's what they do."

We sat there for a couple more minutes, until I decided to ask her a serious question. It was something that has been bothering me for a while now, and I really need to get it off my chest.

"Have you ever thought about it?" I asked.

She blinked. "Thought about what?"

"About us dating."

"… Oh…" She twiddled her fingers some more, before she said, quietly, "A few times.."

She's _actually_ thought about us _dating_?

"I've been thinking about it too."

"Everyone knows _you've_ been thinking about it." Saru said sarcastically, making me laugh nervously.

"Well.. We should go back into the living room before everyone thinks we're dead."

"Yeah. We should.." Saru said, smiling again.

…

- Saru's POV -

…

As Axel and I headed back into the living room, I blushed at the fact that I told him I actually thought about the two of us dating.

Yes, I have been thinking about it.

When we walked into the living room, we found my mom, Demyx, and Roxas engaged in a conversation.

"Oh! There you two are." She huffed, putting her hands on her hips. "I was just asking Roxas and Demyx if there have been any advances in your relationship."

I blushed furiously. "_**Mom**_!"

Axel snickered a little at my embarrassment, but he immediately shut up when I elbowed him in the ribs.

"I'm only kidding, dear. You are so _defensive_."

"I'm not being defensive!"

"Of course you're not.." Mom said with an arched eyebrow. She took some bags off the table. "Anyway, I packed some snacks for you guys to have when you get back to the castle."

She handed each of us a paper bag filled with cookies, brownies, and little chocolates. For as long as I can remember, before our guests would leave, mom would give them a bag full of assorted sweets that she made herself. Aubrey and I would help her with them, until she died; now it's just me.

"Thank you mom." I said, taking the bag she was holding out to me.

We each gave her a hug before Axel summoned a portal to take us to the castle.

"I love you, sweetheart!"

As the portal was closing, we heard my mom call, "Goodbye, Nikki!"

"What?"

The portal closed before the question could be answered.

…

- Back At The Castle -

…

We arrived back at the castle, already digging in to our 'goodbye goodie bags.' I was hoping - no… _praying_ that they wouldn't mention what my mom said, and, so far, so good.

"You're mom's really nice, Saru." Roxas said as he took a little chocolate out of the bag, and popped it in his mouth.

"I know."

"These brownies are so good!" Demyx exclaimed, taking another bite. "Your mom sure knows how to cook."

"She taught me everything I know." I said, taking a bite of a chocolate chip.

"I just have one question…" Axel began, getting everyone's attention. "Why did your mom call you 'Nikki?'"

I froze.

This was not going to be easy to explain…

…

…


	41. Moving Out

**Banshee: Hello readers! In this chapter, we meet Sandy, one of Sar-er.. Nikki's friends. Just so you know, from now on Saru will be referred to as 'Nikki.'**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters, Square Enix does. I just own the plot and my OCs. That's it. No suing, please.**

* * *

Chapter Forty: Moving Out

* * *

Recap:

"_You're mom's really nice, Saru." Roxas said as he took a little chocolate out of the bag, and popped it in his mouth._

"_I know."_

"_These brownies are so good!" Demyx exclaimed, taking another bite. "Your mom sure knows how to cook."_

"_She taught me everything I know." I said, taking a bite of a chocolate chip._

"_I just have one question…" Axel began, getting everyone's attention. "Why did your mom call you 'Nikki?'"_

_I froze._

_This was not going to be easy to explain…_

…

…

"Well?" Axel prodded when I didn't answer him.

The three of them were staring at me with serious expressions on their faces, and I could feel my heart racing.

"Okay. 'Saru' isn't my real name. My real name is Nicole.. Nicole Hale…"

"You mean… you've been _lying_ to us?" Roxas asked with narrowed eyes.

"I wanted to tell you my real name, but I wasn't sure if I could trust you.."

"I think we've made it pretty obvious that you could trust us." He retorted angrily.

"What else have you been lying to us about?" Axel probed, crossing his arms.

"I swear, the _only_ thing that I've lied to you about was my name. I would _never_ lie to you about anything else." I said in my own defense.

"How do we know you're not lying now?" Demyx asked, his eyes brimming with tears.

"I… I… I have to go.."

The first chance I got, I raced back to my room, trying my best to hold my tears back. I wasn't angry at my mom for her slip of the tongue, I was angry at myself for not telling them my real name right off the bat. They were some of my best friends, and, even though they don't have real emotions, I could see that they were hurt.

As I walked into my room, Hazel immediately left her little bed and jumped around my feet, hoping for a little attention. However, she got none, for I was in no mood to play around with her and, after a few minutes, she got the message and left me alone. Momo, knowing that something was wrong, walked over to me and nudged my leg with his hand.

"I am such an idiot.." I said somberly, as Momo jumped up onto the bed with me and put his hand on my shoulder. "I don't think they'll ever trust me again…"

Hazel joined us on the bed and curled up in my lap in an attempt to comfort me. Too bad it wasn't working. I pushed her off my lap and onto the pillow. Standing up, I patted Momo on the head and walked over to my dresser, pulling one of the drawers open. Grabbing a backpack from the floor, I began filling it with some clothes. Momo jumped off the bed and walked over to me, looking at me with a facial expression that was asking me what I was doing.

"Maybe it would be best if I left for a little while, Momo.. Here, watch my bag for me."

I took out my cell phone and dialed Sandy's number. It rang a few times, until someone picked up and I heard Sandy's voice say, "Hello?"

"Hi Sandy."

"Nikki? Is that you?" The tone in her voice practically screamed surprise.

"Yeah."

"Oh my God, it feels like ages since I last heard your voice!" She squealed.

"Same here. Look, Sandy… I was wondering if I could stay with you for a while.."

Sandy was silent for a moment before she asked, "Why? What happened?"

I sat there, not sure how to answer the question. I felt unsure about telling Sandy what happened, but she was my best friend; she has been since we first met in kindergarten. There was no way that I could not tell her what happened, and she would find a way to get it out of me anyway, so there was no point in keeping it a secret from her.

"… It's not easy to explain…" I said after a couple minutes of silence.

"Well, you can tell me when you get here."

"What? You mean I can stay over?"

"Sure. I just asked my mom, and she said you can stay as long as you want."

"Really? Thanks, Sandy. I really appreciate it."

"When do you want to come over?"

"I'll be there in a little bit. I just need to pack a few more things."

"Okay. See you in a little bit."

"Bye Sandy."

"Bye."

Closing my cell phone, I walked over to the dresser and opened the drawer on the far left. I rummaged through the drawer until I found what I was looking for: a small box with Japanese maple leaves engraved in the wood, and decorated with carefully placed red paint. It was a gift from my grandma when I was six, and it was where I kept my most prized possession. I carefully placed it in my backpack and zipped it shut, slinging the pack over my shoulder. Momo opened a portal for me, and we both stepped inside, but not before I left a little note on the dresser.

…

- At Sandy's House -

…

When Momo and I arrived at Sandy's house, she was at the door waiting for us. She opened the door and ran over to us, catching me in a hug. Her Labrador, Lulu, stood at the door wagging her tail, waiting for me to actually get into the house to give me a proper greeting.

"It's so good to see you, Nikki! Wow, your hair got long!" She exclaimed, taking a lock of my hair between her fingers and examining it.

"It's good to see you too. Hi Lulu!" I yelled to the lab, waving to her as she wagged her tail even more.

"Here, come inside. And bring your… what is it?" Sandy asked, poking one of Momo's antennae.

"That's Momo. He's my… pet…" I replied with a nervous smile as she looked at me with a quirked eyebrow. "It's a long story."

"And I can't wait to hear it." She said, taking a hold of my wrist and almost dragging me to the house.

Momo ran to catch up with us, and Lulu started barking as we got closer to the door. When Sandy opened the door, I was greeted by, not only a dog, but also by her three younger siblings. Like their sister, they had fiery red hair and green eyes, and they were very peppy. The excited screams stopped when their mother walked into the room, and they, along with Lulu, ran out of the room to go play outside.

"Hi Mrs. Michelson." I greeted as she smiled at me.

"Hi sweetie. Please, call me Kim." Kim said sweetly, giving me a hug.

"Nikki and I are going to my room. See ya mom!" Sandy said, grabbing my wrist again and dragging me to her room with Momo following close behind.

"Okay!" Kim called after us. "I'll call you when dinner's ready!"

…

"So this thing's a combination between a Heartless and a Nobody?" Sandy inquired after I had explained to her how Momo came to be my pet. "That's so cool."

The two of us were sitting on her bed (which was actually a futon), and she was scratching Momo behind one of his antennae. He was enjoying the attention, for he was laying on his back and kicking his leg the same way Lulu would when someone scratched her belly.

"Aw, he's so _cute_!" She cooed.

I heard shuffling and turned around to see Lulu over by my bag. She was sniffing one of the pockets, and a rectangular box was poking out of it. I rushed over and grabbed the box, yelling, "No, Lulu! You can't sniff this! Go sniff my shoes, or… something.."

Lulu whined, but she did as she was told and trotted over to my discarded shoes that were laying on the floor. She sniffed them a few times, and grabbed one of them with her teeth.

"And please don't chew on them.." I added.

The lab dropped the shoe and trudged somberly over to the pillow in the corner, circling it a few times before finally laying down. When I was certain that she was not getting up, I sat back down on the futon, cradling the box like it was a newborn baby. Sandy noticed this and asked, "What's with the box?"

"It's very important to me.. My grandma gave it to me when I was six. It's where I keep my most prized possession…"

"And what is your most prized possession?"

"… Do you remember my eighth birthday party?"

…

- Back At The Castle -

…

"Sar-er… Nikki? Are you okay?" Roxas called through the door.

There was no answer.

"You missed dinner, so I brought you some chicken fingers.."

Still no answer.

Roxas turned the knob and opened the door carefully, expecting something to be thrown at him, only to be met with an attention-starved kitten rubbing against his leg. He looked around the room until his eyes landed on the dresser, and he noticed that some of them were open and missing clothes. Rushing to the dresser, he saw a note placed there, and opened it.

_Dear Organization XIII,_

_I know it's rude to leave without a proper goodbye, but I figured you were still angry at me for lying to you about my name, and that you wouldn't want to talk to me. I'm sorry that I lied to you. You guys are some of my best friends, and I would never ever want to hurt you. I'm going to stay at a friend's house for a while, and I don't know when I'll be back. I'm sorry, but I just need to get out of the castle for a while… and please take care of Hazel for me; Sandy is allergic to cats, so I couldn't bring her with me.._

_Nikki_

_P.S. Whoever's reading this… please tell Axel to stay out of my drawers._

Roxas was overwhelmed with shock and dropped the note, and the plate of chicken fingers, and teleported out of the room to go tell the others.

…

- The Next Day -

…

Kim was nice enough to make me a bagged lunch for school. Even though Sandy went to a different school than I did, her school was only a few blocks away from mine. Taking her on her first trip through a portal went better than I expected, and she agreed that it was much faster than walking or taking a bus. After a seemingly long goodbye, Sandy left for her own school, leaving me alone to wait for Sora, Riku, and Kairi. I froze when I saw three familiar Nobodies come out of a portal in the courtyard, and quickly rounded a corner so they wouldn't see me.

Gym went by fast enough, because there was no verbal contact between people unless it was to tell someone to 'think fast,' 'duck,' or that they're out of the game. When the bell rang and it was time for Health, I changed faster than all the other girls and was out of the gym before anyone could say anything to me. I didn't even think anything of it when I heard something fall on the floor, for everyone drops something every once in a while.

…

- Roxas' POV -

…

I saw Nikki exit the girl's locker room, and she left the gym before any of us could say anything to her. Without the others noticing, I followed her out the door just in time to see something fall out of a pocket in her backpack. Picking it up before it could get stepped on, I took a moment to examine it. It was a small box with Japanese maple leaves engraved into the wood, a bright red color painted carefully into the grooves. The box was closed with a little gold clasp, and a name was engraved on the bottom half of the box.

"Nicole Jennifer Hale…" I whispered to myself.

"Hey Rox. What's that in your hand?" Axel asked from behind me.

"Huh? It's a box, and it has Nikki's name on it." I said, holding the box up for him and the others to see.

"It's Nikki's?" Demyx asked as Axel took the box from me and examined it.

"Who's Nikki?" Sora inquired.

"It's a long story; we'll tell you later."

"I wonder what's in it.." Kairi pondered.

I slapped Axel's hand when he attempted to open the box.

"Don't open that!" I reprimanded. "That's Nikki's!"

"Aw, don't be such a wet blanket, Rox. It's just one little peek." The redhead brushed off my attempt to stop him and undid the clasp, opening the lid on the box.

Inside was a gold oval-shaped locket with Nikki's full name engraved in the center, surrounded by vines. Small blossoms replaced the dots of the I's, said blossoms painted blue. A long gold chain was attached to the locket. Axel opened it, revealing two pictures.

The picture on the left was of a little baby girl wearing a light blue dress with a little bow in the front. A cute little white hat rested on the baby's head, a blue ribbon tied under her chin to hold it in place. Light brown hair poked out from under the hat, and her bright blue eyes were shining with mischief and curiosity.

The picture on the right was of a group of four people all huddled together for a family photo. The tallest was a man with dark brown hair and a trim mustache on his upper lip. His hazel eyes were stern and serious, but were contradicted by his kind smile. Next to him was a woman with light brown hair and blue eyes. Her smile was warm and kind. In front of the man was a girl around thirteen, with brown hair and dark brown eyes. Next to her was a younger girl, around eight-years-old, who was clutching shyly to her sister's arm. Short light brown hair covered her blue eyes.

"So… This is Nikki's locket?" Demyx asked, tilting the trinket down so he could have a better look.

"Yeah. This must mean a lot to her.. She'll be really upset when she realizes that she lost it."

"That's okay. We can give it to her when we see her in class."

"Speaking of class, we'd better get to it before Mrs. Sanchez blows a gasket."

Axel put the locket back into the box and handed it to me, and I carefully placed it in my bag. Once I made sure that the box was secure, we headed to class.

…

…


	42. A Sweet Little Note

**Banshee: Hello everybody. Here is Chapter 41.**

**Disclaimer: Why the hell do I have to keep typing this? Ugh... I do not own the characters in Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I just own my OCs and the plot. So, no suing please.**

* * *

Chapter Forty-One: A Sweet Little Note

* * *

Recap:

"_I am such an idiot.." I said somberly, as Momo jumped up onto the bed with me and put his hand on my shoulder. "I don't think they'll ever trust me again…"_

_Hazel joined us on the bed and curled up in my lap in an attempt to comfort me. Too bad it wasn't working. I pushed her off my lap and onto the pillow. Standing up, I patted Momo on the head and walked over to my dresser, pulling one of the drawers open. Grabbing a backpack from the floor, I began filling it with some clothes. Momo jumped off the bed and walked over to me, looking at me with a facial expression that was asking me what I was doing._

"_Maybe it would be best if I left for a little while, Momo.."_

…

…

…

- Axel's POV -

…

We walked into the Health room, just in time to see Nikki take a seat at her desk. Roxas had wrapped the box in a special paper that he got from the art room in order to protect it from being damaged. He gave me the box so I could give it to Nikki, since I sit right next to her.

I nonchalantly took my seat, the box tucked safely into my schoolbag, and watched as Nikki reached into her backpack. Her face suddenly went pale, and her arm moved around frantically as if searching for something; she must have realized that the box was gone. She calmed down after a few minutes, probably telling herself that she left it at her friend's house, and took out her notebook.

"Hey, Nikki.." I whispered a few seconds after the bell rang.

She turned her head slightly, acknowledging me, but didn't say anything.

"What's the matter? You lose something?" Even though I knew what she had lost and where it was, I had to ask.

"No, I was just… looking for my pencil." She said, picking up her pencil and showing it to me. "See? I found it."

I quirked an eyebrow, but, before I could say anything, Mrs. Sanchez began a lecture about pregnancy. As she wrote on the board, I looked at Nikki. She looked like she needed a little pick-me-up, so I leaned over so the teacher couldn't hear and said, "We're not mad at you, you know.."

"You're not?" She asked, quickly perking up.

I smiled, shaking my head. "Course not. Everyone lies at some point in their lives."

"I know.."

"So… are you gonna come back to the castle?" I asked.

When she went silent, and the only responses I could think of were either 'no,' or 'I don't know.' I was really hoping that she would pick the second one, but coming back to the castle was her choice to make, not mine.

"I don't know…" She began, fiddling with her pencil. "I haven't seen Sandy in so long, it would be nice if I could stay with her for a while so we can catch up.."

"I guess that would be… okay.." I hesitated before saying 'okay,' because I wasn't sure how the Superior would take it.

"I'm not leaving for good, it's just for a little while.. A month, maybe?"

"Nicole! Axel!" Mrs. Sanchez yelled, startling us. "Pay attention!"

"Sorry Mrs. Sanchez…" Nikki and I said in unison, and Mrs. Sanchez turned back around to continue writing on the board.

I took out a piece of paper and folded it in half before ripping it in two. Then I tore one of the halves into an even smaller piece, and borrowed Nikki's pencil to write a little note on the paper. When I was finished writing the message, I folded the paper in half and discreetly slipped it onto her desk. I saw her pick up the note and mouthed the words 'Don't open it until later.' Luckily she knew how to read lips, and nodded, putting the note into the pocket of her shirt. After that, we sat there quietly for the rest of the class period.

…

- Nikki's POV -

…

I was curious about the note that Axel gave me. He told me not to open it until later, but I always get anxious when I have to wait for something. The contents of the note had me curious, and I spent the whole day wondering what it said. I could barely concentrate in my other classes, and everyone knew it too. By the time History came along, I was doodling in my notebook to pass the time until that final bell rang.

"Now, who can tell me how many states are in America?" Our History teacher, Mr. Jameson, asked.

The whole class fell silent.

"Come on, don't be shy." He prodded. "How about you, Nicole?"

"Huh?" I looked up from my doodle to find the whole class staring at me.

"What was the question?" I asked, genuinely not knowing what was going on.

"How many states make up America?" Ms. Jameson repeated the question with a raised eyebrow.

Usually I could answer a question like this in a heartbeat, but, since I wasn't paying attention, I had no idea what I should say.

"Um… I… forty-nine?"

The whole class fell silent at my response, and - even Mr. Jameson - was at a total loss for words.

"I'm sorry, that's… incorrect.."

After looking over the question, I realized that America was made up of fifty states, not forty-nine. I wanted to try again, but Mr. Jameson already called on someone else who had answered the question correctly. I felt like an idiot for not paying attention, but there were more important things to worry about than a dumb question about how many states are in a country.

When the day was finally over, I was relieved because I could finally read the note. However, I wanted to wait until I was back at Sandy's to read it. After saying goodbye to the others, I met up with Sandy outside the school gate. Soon after the two of us got together, a portal appeared with Momo poking his head out of said portal.

…

- That Night, At Sandy's House -

…

"Axel gave you a note? Ooh, what does it say?" Sandy prodded, jumping up and down excitedly as I took the note out of the pocket of my discarded uniform shirt. "Is it a _loove_ note?"

"_**No**_!" I shouted defensively. "It was an answer to the question that I asked him in Health."

"And what was the question?" She asked, taking a seat on the futon.

I told her about the conversation I had with Axel, up until the point where he handed me the note. When I was finished, Sandy urged me to open the note so the both of us could see what Axel wrote as a response. I carefully opened it, revealing a message.

"_Whatever makes you happy."_

"Aw, how sweet." Sandy cooed. "Are you _sure_ the two of you aren't dating?"

"Yes, I am _completely_ sure. The two of us are just friends." I growled defensively, but it wasn't very convincing due to the blush on my face.

"Of course you are… for now.." Sandy smiled deviously.

"_**Sandy**_!"

She giggled and pulled the covers over herself, making herself comfortable before turning over on her side and falling asleep. Laying down on the spare futon, I covered myself with the blanket as Momo took his spot at the base of the futon. I was unable to fall asleep as fast as Sandy did, so I took another look at the note.

"'Whatever makes you happy..'" I read the message to myself quietly, before tucking it under the futon and going to sleep.

…

- At The Castle That Never Was -

…

Axel just finished his homework and was getting ready for bed. He set his backpack down, but froze when he heard a 'clunk.' Opening his bag, the redhead searched it thoroughly to find the source of the noise. Sure enough, he found it; a rectangular box wrapped in a special paper.

His eyes widened as he realized that he had forgotten to return the box.

"Oh, man!"

…

…


	43. Just Friends?

**Banshee: Hello everyone! I am SO sorry that it took so long.**

**Axel: Maybe if you weren't so LAZY, you would have had it done a long time ago.**

**Banshee: Shut up, you. I was busy with college, and, on top of that, I had writer's block.**

**Axel: Whatever helps you sleep at night.**

**Banshee: Grr. Anyway, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, or its characters. They all belong to Square Enix. I only own my OCs.**

**--**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Two: Just Friends?

* * *

Recap:

"_Axel gave you a note? Ooh, what does it say?" Sandy prodded, jumping up and down excitedly as I took the note out of the pocket of my discarded uniform shirt. "Is it a _loove_ note?"_

"**No**_!" I shouted defensively. "It was an answer to the question that I asked him in Health."_

"_And what was the question?" She asked, taking a seat on the futon._

_I told her about the conversation I had with Axel, up until the point where he handed me the note. When I was finished, Sandy urged me to open the note so the both of us could see what Axel wrote as a response. I carefully opened it, revealing a message._

"Whatever makes you happy."

"_Aw, how sweet." Sandy cooed. "Are you _sure_ the two of you aren't dating?"_

"_Yes, I am _completely_ sure. The two of us are just friends." I growled defensively, but it wasn't very convincing due to the blush on my face._

"_Of course you are… for now.."_

…

…

* * *

It has been three days since I left the castle to live with Sandy. She began to tease me about what the note said, and my reaction to her question of whether or not Axel and I were dating, and I was beginning to regret having her over at my house so much when we were kids.. God, she's starting to sound like my mother…

Being away from the castle gave me time to think about my relationship with Axel. He used to be a jerk to me at first, calling me pet names and making sexist jokes that have earned him _quite a few_ punches in the face. Before we knew it we became very good friends, though the pet names still stuck. I can't even count all the times he called me things like 'honey' or 'sweetheart.'

Now we're so close, I'm starting to doubt that we're even friends.

I can't even use the 'He's-like-a-brother-to-me' excuse!

"Nikki? Yoo-hoo~.. Nikki… Anybody home?"

My thoughts were interrupted when I saw Sandy's tan hand waving back and forth in front of my face.

"Eh?"

Sandy looked at me with concern and put a hand on my forehead to check my temperature.

"Are you feeling okay?" She asked. "You feel a little warm.."

"That's because I'm frustrated!" I exclaimed heatedly, getting up and pacing. "I lost my locket, and I have no idea where it is!"

Of course, that's not the only reason why I was frustrated. I could tell Sandy knew it too, but she stayed quiet and listened to me rant about how stupid I felt for losing my most prized possession. What I _really_ wanted to rant about was how much I wanted to pummel Axel right now.

When I was younger, I was target of a lot of ridicule because I was a 'crybaby,' and when my sister died it only got worse. As the years went by, I went from being depressed to angry and bitter, and I started expressing my anger with violence, the violent streak lasting until my sophomore year in high school. I refused to trust anyone, because all of the people I _did_ trust, minus my few close friends and family members, stabbed me in the back and left me to rot. It happened to me so many times that I put up a huge wall that separated me from everyone else.

However, when I started living at The Castle That Never Was, Roxas was the first to break through my wall. Not long after that wall went down, Axel managed to worm his way into my heart. Now he's stuck there, and he's growing inside of me like cancer. Too bad you can't use chemo to get rid of a person - or half a person…

…

--

-- The Next Day --

--

…

After school, I suggested to Sandy that we go pay a visit to Twilight Town.

"Why do you want to go to Twilight Town?" Sandy asked. When I shrugged, she added with a devious smile, "Are you hoping to see _Axel_ there?"

"_**No**_!!" I shouted defensively as the redhead giggled.

"Easy, I was just kidding." She said, ignoring my disbelieving glare. "I'll go ask my mom if we can go."

Sandy left the room, leaving me alone with Momo curled up on my futon. Watching Momo sleep made me a bit drowsy as well, and, after many attempts to stay awake, I ended up dozing off. I was too busy napping to notice Sandy walking back into the room. I remained oblivious to her presence until…

"Yo! Nikki!"

I jumped when I heard my name being called, and turned around to see Sandy.

"Jeez Sandy, don't scare me like that!"

She gave me a funny look, and started gesturing to me with her hands to get up.

"So what did your mom say?" I asked.

"We got the OK, but we need to be back by dinner." Sandy replied, grinning.

"Sure, we can do that."

I called Momo and he jumped off the futon, summoning a portal with a wave of his hand.

…

--

-- At Castle Oblivion --

-- Roxas' POV --

--

…

Ever since Nikki left the castle to stay with her friend Sandy, Axel just hasn't been himself. Sure, he would pull the occasional prank, and throw in a sarcastic remark every once in a while, but it wasn't the same.

I was walking to the kitchen to get myself a snack, when I saw Axel sitting in the TV room. He was flicking through the channels at an agonizingly slow pace, and he had a look on his face that he always wore when he was bored.

"Uh… Axel?"

His thumb stopped before it hit the button, and he turned to look at me from his spot on the couch.

"What is it, Rox?" He asked casually.

"You're not acting like yourself, Axel… and it's starting to scare me…" As much as I hated to admit it, I had to because it was the truth.

"I'm sorry, buddy.." Axel apologized. "It's just that… without Nikki, life in this castle has been nothing short of _boring_. I don't see any reason to pull pranks anymore."

As he said this, he repositioned himself on the couch so that he was laying on his back. It took a few seconds for me to comprehend the meaning of what he said, but once I figured it out, it made a lot of sense.

"You mean you pulled those pranks… because of Nikki?" I asked.

He was quiet for a minute, before he said, "I did it to make her laugh."

Noticing my puzzled visage, he continued, "It's the only thing I can think of to take her mind off of all the pain she has suffered. That, and she has a cute laugh."

The things he said made his first statement make more sense. It also showed how much he cares about Nikki. I stood there for a moment, trying to think of something to cheer him up. Then, after a few minutes, I had an idea.

"Why don't we go to Twilight Town and get some sea-salt ice cream? You look like you could use one."

I know, it's a corny suggestion. At least give me some points for trying to make my best friend feel better.

"Sure, why not? There's nothing good on this stupid TV anyway." Axel grumbled, getting off the couch and stretching.

"Wow.. I can't believe that worked.."

"What'd you say Rox?"

"Nothing.. I was just… talking to myself.."

"Well then, let's get a move on."

…

--

-- Later, In Twilight Town --

-- Nikki's POV --

--

…

"Is the sky always like that?" Sandy asked as we stepped out of the portal. "My watch says it's three o'clock. Maybe this thing is busted…"

"Yes. It is always like that; that's why they call this place 'Twilight Town.'" I pointed out, laughing slightly as she began to tap her watch to see if it was working right.

I took the time to show Sandy around, and after that we went to get some sea-salt ice cream. At first she wouldn't eat it because of the 'sea-salt' part of the name, but I managed to convince her to try it after a few minutes of… 'intense negotiations.' She admitted that it was actually pretty good, and we ended up getting some more.

Then I saw a familiar mass of black and purple appear on the wall of one of the buildings, and at first I thought it was Momo to bring us home for dinner. But instead of seeing a waist-high mass of black and silver exit the portal, I saw two familiar Nobodies; one with messy sandy-blonde hair, and another with spiked red hair. I panicked and tried to push Sandy behind one of the buildings, but she saw them just seconds after I did.

"Hey! It's Axel and Roxas!" She exclaimed, but not loud enough for them to hear.

"How do you know what they look like? You've never met them before!"

"You're right, I haven't. But I have seen pictures of them."

"Where?" I asked a with a raised eyebrow.

"In your photo album. You know, the blue one that you were looking at earlier today."

"Wait, when did you…" I began to ask, but then I decided I didn't want to know, and stopped. "Never mind.."

"We should go say 'hi' to them." Sandy suggested.

"No, we should go before they--"

"Nikki? Is that you?"

"--see us…"

I hesitantly turned around and saw Axel and Roxas walking over to us. Sandy immediately introduced herself, and I was standing there like a zombie, mindlessly munching on my ice cream. All I could think about at the moment was how the sunlight made Axel's hair shine… Whoa… where did _that_ come from?

"It's so nice to finally meet you guys. In my opinion, it's about damn time Nikki made some male friends." I heard Sandy say.

"Speaking of Nikki… are you okay?"

The trio turned their attention to me and I blinked, the stick from my finished ice cream hanging from my mouth.

…

--

-- Axel's POV --

--

…

It was weird.

Nikki was just standing there like a zombie, with a glazed look in her eye. When Roxas asked her if she was okay, she looked at him like she didn't even understand English.

"What?" She asked, blinking.

"Are… you… okay?" Roxas repeated his question slowly.

She sat there and blinked a few more times before the question clicked in her brain. Dropping the stick from her ice cream, she smiled sheepishly and said, "Yeah, I'm fine. I just… spaced out, that's all.."

I raised an eyebrow at her, knowing that was a lie, but I decided to let it go.

"Now that you're done acting like a zombie… what do you wanna do?"

Sandy suddenly smiled devilishly and started whispering into Roxas' ear. Seeing the smirk form on my best friend's face made me very uneasy, and Sandy's evil grin didn't help. When she was done whispering, they both nodded in approval of whatever they had planned and turned their attention to me and Nikki.

"Roxas and I are going to go to the arcade for a while. You two have fun now!" Sandy giggled, that smirk still on her face.

Before either of us could say anything, she and Roxas disappeared in a swirl of black and purple, leaving us alone. We stood there for a few minutes, shifting our feet occasionally, and I even started whistling in order to break the eerie silence.

"Hey Nikki…" I began, once I was done whistling.

"Yeah?"

"Wanna go to the clock tower?"

I waited as she thought of a response to my question. Once she thought of an answer, she turned to me and said, "Sure, why not?"

Grabbing a firm hold of her hand, I summoned a portal that took us to the clock tower. Even though Nikki is afraid of heights, Roxas and I could bring her there to hang out without a problem. We would distract her by starting up conversations that would last for hours… or at least until one of the other organization members showed up, and told us to get our butts back to the castle..

When we arrived, Nikki immediately sat down to avoid looking over the edge.

"I can't believe Sandy and Roxas ditched us.." She grumbled, kicking her heels against the wall of the tower.

"Somehow, it isn't very surprising. I've only known her for two minutes, and I already know that she's a conniving evil mastermind; that smirk she had on her face proves it."

Nikki tried to stifle a snicker, but failed, her snickering turning into a full out laughing fit.

God, how I've missed that laugh…

"Believe me, that's just the tip of the iceberg." She said, wiping some laughter-induced tears from her eyes.

"I need you to do me a favor." I said.

"What?"

"Close your eyes."

Nikki looked at me with a raised eyebrow, and asked suspiciously, "Why?"

"Just do it."

She seemed reluctant to do it, but she ended up closing her eyes. When I was sure that her eyes were shut tightly, I reached into my pocket.

…

--

-- Nikki's POV --

--

…

"Can I open my eyes yet?" I asked impatiently.

"No, not yet."

From the sound of his voice, he was frustrated, but it wasn't at me. I could hear him making strange noises, like he was struggling with something. After a few seconds, the noises stopped, and I felt something being placed in my hand. It didn't feel heavy at all, and I even shook it a little, hearing a slight rattling.

"You can open your eyes now." I heard Axel say.

I opened my eyes and saw a small rectangular object in my hands. It was wrapped in a special paper, said paper held in place with a thin rubber band. Slipping the rubber band off, I removed the paper and my eyes widened.

In my hands was a box, with Japanese maple leaves engraved into the wood.

It couldn't be… could it?

I turned the box around and saw my name engraved on the front. I looked from the box to Axel, who smiled.

"You dropped that the other day." He said, pointing to the box. "Roxas said you'd be a wreck if you didn't get it back, so… there it is.."

He was unprepared for when I wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug. I let him go before he could respond, because I suddenly felt like if he hugged me back, I wouldn't _want_ to let go. We sat there awkwardly for a couple minutes before I said, "Thank you, Axel."

"Y-You're welcome." Axel said, once he got over the shock my hug gave him.

"By the way…" He added. "You should start wearing that locket. It would look very nice on you."

My face suddenly turned red, and I was at a total loss for words. I got my bearings back after a few seconds, but a portal appeared before I could say anything. Suddenly Sandy and Roxas appeared next to us, with Momo in tow.

"Heya!" Sandy said, waving. "It's time for dinner."

We said goodbye to Axel and Roxas, then stepped into the portal that Momo made for us.

…

--

-- Later, In Sandy's Room --

--

…

Sandy had noticed how quiet I was during dinner (usually I'm a big chatterbox), and confronted me about it when we returned to her room.

"Did something happen between you and Axel earlier?"

"What? No!" I shouted defensively. "What makes you think anything happened?"

Sandy looked at me with a raised eyebrow and took out a mirror, holding it up so I could see my reflection. "Your face is red."

I looked into the mirror to find that she was right. My face was as red as a tomato.

"So… What happened?" She asked, putting the mirror down.

"Nothing happened. Axel just returned my locket."

"_And_?" She prodded, crossing her arms and tapping her foot.

"No 'and!' Axel returned my locket, and that's all that happened! I swear on my Nana!" I shouted, putting my hand on my heart.

From the look on her face, I knew she didn't believe me. But she decided to let it go, and we went to bed.

…

--

-- MULTIPLE FLASHBACK ALERT --

--

…

"_Axel? What're you doing here? And… why are you dressed like a bus-boy?"_

_At first he didn't say anything, but after straightening his tie, he replied, "I've been thinking… you know… about the problem you've been having here. I just wanted to be here in case you needed me… and I know you'll need me. And don't try to lie to me, 'cuz I'll know."_

…

--

…

"_Get away from her!"_

_I stared at Axel in disbelief as he stood protectively in front of me and grabbed my arm, and nearly dragged me out of the bathroom._

"_Go on! Keep your little whore! She's ugly anyway!"_

_I felt his grip on my arm tighten and I could see the anger in his eyes as he turned to face Stan, sparks flying off his body._

"_What did you say???"_

"_You heard me.. Do you want me to repeat myself?"_

"_Oh, _please_ do.." Axel growled threateningly, looking as if he'd summon his chakrams at any second._

"_Fine then. Keep… your… _whore_." Stan sneered, emphasizing each word._

_Something suddenly made Axel snap as his fist reared up and struck Stan right in the face, sending him flying into one of the tables._

"_Don't _ever_ say that again!! If you ever insult her again, when I'm done with you, you'll be breathing with an _iron lung_!! Got it _memorized_!?"_

…

--

…

"_Are you embarrassed about what your mom said about us… you know… dating?"_

_I smiled and shook my head.. "No. It's a parent's job to embarrass their kids; that's what they do."_

_We sat there for silently for a couple of minutes, until Axel asked, "Have you ever thought about it?"_

_I blinked. "Thought about what?"_

"_About us dating."_

"… _Oh…" I twiddled my fingers some more, before I said, quietly, "A few times.."_

…

The last memory jerked me out of a sound sleep, but, luckily, I didn't disturb Momo or Sandy. I tried to get back to sleep, but my eyes refused to stay shut. Instead of struggling with sleep, I got up and started pacing around the room. Seeing my bag on the floor, I walked over to it and rummaged through it until I found a blue photo album. Sitting down Indian-style next to the futon, I opened up the album and began sifting through the pages. Half of the album was made up of pictures of my family before the accident, and pictures of my friends. I had begun to fill the other half of the album with pictures of the Organization. Shuffling through the pages, I found a picture that caught my eye.

It was a picture of our little gang on the Fourth of July last year. The older members were off getting drunk, and the rest of us just hung out, checked out all the stands, and ate as much cotton candy as we could get. We had one of the other members - one of the sober ones - hold the camera while we posed for pictures. On the far right of the picture, there was Roxas with a half-empty bag of Boo-Blue flavored cotton candy in his hand. There were globs of silly string in his hair, but he was too busy laughing to care. Demyx was on the far left, and he had dragged Zexion into the picture, by his arm, at the last minute. The nocturne was wearing a bunch of glow sticks, he also stuck a few on Zexion, and he was holding a sparkler in his free hand. Axel and I were in the middle. He was holding me up by my waist, and my arms were around his neck in an attempt to hold myself up. The both of us were smiling and laughing, despite the fact that we were covered in silly string and confetti.

No matter how much I told everyone that Axel and I weren't dating, I couldn't deny that we looked just like any other couple in the park that night. I sifted through a few more photos, and saw several with just me and Axel.

Seeing pictures of the two of us together, and how happy we were, really got me thinking.

"_Do I… _love_ Axel?"_

…

…


	44. Nervous

**Banshee: **Hi everyone! Sorry for the long wait. I was a little busy.

**Axel: **No you weren't. You were just being lazy again.

**Banshee: **Shut up, you. It's not my fault I had a severe case of writer's block.

**Axel:** Whatever.

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Kingdom Hearts. Square Enix does. I only own my OCs. So no suing, please.**

**...**

Chapter Forty-Three: Nervous

...

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get back to sleep. I just sat there on my futon, staring blankly at the ceiling.

By the time I _did_ fall asleep, a few minutes later, I heard my phone's alarm go off. Groaning, I picked up the phone and pressed one of the buttons on the side. The beeping sound stopped and I put the phone back down, my head dropping back onto the pillow.

A good ten minutes went by before I felt someone shaking me. I opened my eyes and saw Sandy.

"Come on, Nikki, wake up." She whispered.

"What? What's going on?" I mumbled sleepily.

I picked up my phone again to see what day it was, groaning when I saw the date.

"Sandy, it's Saturday. What're you doing waking me up at seven o'clock on a _Saturday_?" I groaned, pulling the covers over my head.

"I'll tell you in a minute. Now hurry, get up!" Sandy ordered, grasping the covers and ripping them off me, paying no mind to my protests.

"Why, what're we doing?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"I told you, I'll tell you in a minute." She said.

"… 59... 58... 57..."

"Alright, fine, you little smart aleck." She growled. "I was thinking we could go to Twilight Town again."

"At seven in the morning?"

Sandy stared at me for a minute, eyebrow raised. Usually, I was up and raring to go, but today I was just… blegh.. And there was only one logical explanation for it. "… You didn't sleep last night, did you?"

"I couldn't sleep.."

"Well? What's on you mind, then?" Sandy inquired, sitting down on my futon.

"Nothing." I said. When she looked at me suspiciously, I added, "What?"

"You have got to be the worst liar I've ever seen…" She said, shaking her head.

Now where have I heard _that_ before?

…

"_You're a_ really_ bad liar, you know that?" _

…

I could still remember the day Axel said that to me. It seemed like so long ago, even though it has only been a year since I started living with the Organization… back when Axel was a jerk.

"Yeah. I know.." I said, staring absent-mindedly out the window.

"You're thinking about Axel again, aren't you?" Sandy teased.

Not two seconds after she said that, I looked at her and exclaimed defensively, "What! No, of course not! I… wait a minute… 'again?'"

"You were really quiet last night. I figured you must have been thinking about him." She recalled.

"As if." I said, mentally cursing at myself for picking up some of Xigbar's vocabulary. "Why would I waste my brain-cells thinking about that perverted pyromaniac?"

Sandy chuckled to herself. "Like I said… worst… liar… _ever_."

I glared at her and shoved her jokingly, both of us laughing. I grabbed my clothes for the day and brushed past Sandy, heading over to the bathroom that was attached to her room. Once I shut myself in, I leaned against the door and thought about what Sandy had said to me about Axel.

"_Do I really think about Axel _that_ much? Is it that obvious?"_

Once I was dressed, I took a look at myself in the mirror. I gave myself a brief look over several times, for some reason, not feeling satisfied with my look. Suddenly it felt like something was missing. Having a feeling, I walked out of the bathroom and over to my bag. I rummaged through it until I felt a familiar rectangular object, and opened it. Taking my locket out of the box, I had Sandy fasten the chain around my neck. When she was done, I fixed my hair and turned around, and asked, "How do I look?"

"You look good. But.. Why, all of a sudden, do you want to wear your locket?"

…

"_By the way… You should start wearing that locket. It would look very nice on you."_

…

"No reason." I lied. "I just thought I'd spice up my outfit a little, that's all."

Sandy gave me her trademark 'you-are-such-a-liar' look, but, since she didn't say anything, I assumed that she had decided to let it go for now. I waited for her to get dressed, and when she was ready, I had Momo create a portal for us. Before we could go in, Kim came into the room to fetch us for breakfast.

"What's going on in here?" She asked.

"We were just gonna go to Twilight Town again." Sandy said.

"Without breakfast?" Kim asked, shocked.

"I'm sure they have places that serve breakfast."

"Oh, no. Both of you, to the kitchen. Now."

"But Mom-"

"No 'buts.' You two aren't going anywhere until you have a _good_ breakfast." Kim ordered, pointing out the door.

Knowing that we couldn't get out of this, Momo closed the portal and Sandy and I trudged to the kitchen.

…

-- Later, In Twilight Town --

…

We ended up going to Twilight Town later than we had planned, because Kim insisted that we have breakfast first. By the time we had arrived, it was ten o'clock.

"Wow… When your mom said she wanted us to have a good breakfast, she meant it…"

Thanks to Kim, Sandy and I were so full we weren't able to eat any ice cream like we had planned. However, we found a way to work around that by playing ball with some of the local kids. We managed to work off plenty of the food that we had eaten, so, after saying goodbye to the kids, we went for ice cream. Ice cream in hand, I decided to show her the clock tower.

"Do you really hang out up there?" She asked, staring up at the tower. "I thought you were afraid of heights."

"I am. But being up there doesn't bother me."

At that moment, Momo had opened a portal that would take us to the top of the tower. We were about to step into it, when Sandy stopped.

"Did you hear that?" She asked.

"Hear what?" I asked.

"There's some weird noise coming from that tunnel." She said, pointing to the tunnel next to the train station.

We walked over to the entrance, and I listened for any sound. Sure enough, I heard something; a low moaning, and also some other sounds mixed in.

"This is nothing." I said, waving it off. "Axel and Roxas told me about this tunnel. It's just an air vent; when the wind blows through it, the noise echoes off the walls, making it sound like moaning."

"I didn't hear any moaning.. It sounds more like someone's being attacked in there.."

"Come on, Sandy. This is Twilight Town. Nothing happens here."

"Well I'm going to check it out." Sandy declared stubbornly, storming into the tunnel.

"Sandy, wait!" I yelled, running in after her.

I followed Sandy through the network of tunnels as she tried to pinpoint the source of the noise. Now that we were down there, I could definitely hear something other than the air vent. I could hear the sound of metal hitting stone, and I could swear that I felt waves of heat sweeping through the tunnels every few seconds. It was hard to tell where the sounds were coming from because everything echoes down here. We navigated down the stairs, checking every exit until we reached the bottom. At the bottom was another exit that led further down.

"The sounds are coming from down here! Let's go!" Sandy pointed out as we barreled down the stairs.

Momo, who had been following us the whole time, suddenly jumped up and down frantically, trying to push us back up the stairs. As he was trying to herd us away from potential danger, some Soldiers had appeared on either side of us, preventing our escape. Momo stood protectively in front of us, slashing at one of the Soldiers when it tried to approach us. The Soldier evaded the attack and knocked Momo backwards, making him collide with Sandy as the two fell to the ground. As one of the Soldiers behind me was about to attack, a ball of fire whizzed by my head and struck said Soldier. It dissipated, leaving behind a heart, which floated away. I looked down and saw Axel, his chakrams at the ready. Roxas appeared next to him, and they were both - more or less - shocked to see us there.

"Nikki! Sandy! What're you guys doing here!" Roxas exclaimed.

"We could ask you the same thing!" I shouted back, unaware of the remaining Soldier that was poising itself for attack.

Axel noticed this, and yelled, "Nikki! Heads up!"

He twirled the chakrams in his hands as they became engulfed in flames, and threw one of them at the Heartless. I took his hint and ducked, and the flaming chakram flew over my head and sliced the Heartless in half. Like the one before it, it dissipated. Roxas dispatched the other two Heartless with his Keyblades.

"What're you guys doing down here? Don't you know these tunnels are crawling with Heartless?" Axel exclaimed angrily. I noticed that he was directing his anger and concern more at me than at Sandy.

"We're well aware of that now. As for why we're down here, Sandy said she heard something weird and ran off before I could stop her." I said, ignoring the look Sandy gave me.

"You're lucky Axel and I were already here." Roxas said. "Those Heartless could have stolen your hearts."

As he was talking, another Heartless appeared a few feet behind him. This time, it was a Shadow. I slowly knelt down, reaching for a pouch that was strapped to my boot. Unbuckling the pouch, I reached inside and pulled out a small knife. I kept my eye on the Heartless, raising the arm that held the knife, ready to throw it.

"Nikki, what're you-- Where'd you get that knife!"

The knife whizzed by Roxas and struck the Shadow in the head. I was a little surprised when the Shadow dissipated, since I thought it would take more than just one knife to the head to bring it down.

"_Huh.. It must have been an embarrassingly weak one.. Oh well."_

"Uh… Where'd you get that knife?" The sandy-haired Nobody repeated his previous question.

"It's one of my hidden weapons."

"What? Since when did you have hidden weapons?" Axel inquired.

"I changed my weapon a few days before I left the castle. I was gonna tell you, but, you know, stuff happened." I said, walking over and picking up the knife I had thrown. I put it back into the pouch, which also contained seven other knives, and fastened it securely so none of them would fall out. "Anyway, what're _you_ guys doing down here?"

"Roxas was sent here to collect some hearts. Me, I'm just babysitting; gotta make sure the little runt stays out of trouble."

Axel snickered a little, but stopped when Roxas glared at him. His expression was both angry and cute at the same time, and I wasn't the only one that noticed it (I heard Sandy go "Aww~!").

"Oh, thanks!" Roxas growled, punching his best friend in the side.

The redhead shrugged it off. "Joking aside, those Soldiers we just fought were the last of 'em. We _were_ gonna RTC, but fighting those Heartless worked up an appetite. What do you say we go get some lunch?"

Sandy and I looked at each other, smiled, then looked back at the two Nobodies in front of us.

"Sure, sounds good." I said.

"What does 'RTC' mean?" Sandy asked as we left the tunnel.

"It means 'Return To the Castle.'"

"Ooh.."

…

-- At The Clock Tower --

…

After lunch, the four of us went to hang out at our usual spot on the clock tower. We spent most of the time just sitting there and watching the eternal sunset. Out of the corner of my eye, I noted Sandy staring at Axel and me with a displeased expression. Why she was looking at us like that, I had no idea.

"I'm hungry." Sandy whined after a few minutes. "I could sure go for an ice cream."

"What? But you just had lunch!" I exclaimed in disbelief.

She shrugged and patted her stomach. "There's still a little room left in here. Just one little ice cream wouldn't kill me. C'mon, Roxas."

"Why is he going with you?" Axel asked.

"Because he can make portals. Duh." Sandy said in an 'Are you stupid?' tone of voice. "What do you want me to do, jump off the tower?"

Axel smirked. "Well, it _would_ be funny if you made the 'splat' sound when you hit the ground."

"Keep it up Hedgehog-Head, and the one making the 'splat' sound is gonna be _you_." She growled, glaring at the pyro.

"Ooh, I'm absolutely _terrified_." He said sarcastically, pretending to hide behind me.

Sandy's eyes narrowed, and I expected her to come over and hit him, but instead she walked into the portal with Roxas. When they were gone, Axel moved back to his original spot. He sat there for a moment, tapping his chin with his index finger.

"Huh. 'Hedgehog-Head..'" He said after a brief silence. "That's a new one."

I couldn't help letting out a small laugh.

"You _do_ kinda look like a hedgehog." I laughed, ignoring the glare Axel was giving me.

"Ha, ha, very funny."

Five minutes passed by without either of us saying a word. If we started a conversation, when Sandy and Roxas came back we would have had to start all over again. Nothing is more annoying than having to keep repeating yourself..

But it seemed like they have been gone too long.

"Shouldn't they be back by now?" I asked.

"No." Axel said immediately, not even giving his response a second thought.

"Why?"

He turned and looked at me with an expression that said 'What, are you stupid?' and said, "Because they ditched us again."

"Oh."

So they ditched us again..

This was just like when they ditched us the last time, only this time they didn't even tell us before they left. This time, they let us figure it out for ourselves… the jerks..

"So, uh.. Do _you_ want an ice cream?" He asked, scratching the back of his head.

I smiled. An ice cream did sound good.

"Sure."

He immediately warped away, coming back two minutes later with two ice creams in his hand. As he was handing one of them to me, I moved to grab the stick. I blushed when my fingers accidentally brushed against his, almost letting go. The move would have cost me my ice cream if Axel hadn't tightened his grip before it could fall. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow and held the ice cream out to me again, this time holding it with only two fingers to avoid any more slip-ups. I quickly took the ice cream from him, avoiding eye contact so he wouldn't see the blush on my face.

"What was that about?" He inquired.

"Sorry. I spaced out a little.." I lied, taking a bite out of my ice cream.

Axel gave me a look that implied that he didn't believe me, but he decided to let it go.

"So…" He began, leaning on his free hand casually. "How's life outside the castle been for you?"

"Everything's been fine. I miss some of the chaos that goes on at the castle, but it's nice to have some peace and quiet for once."

He smiled and nodded, obviously knowing what I was talking about. "I can understand that."

"Speaking of the castle, how's my second family doing?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Oh, the usual. Demyx has been a little depressed, though. Since you left, he's been acting like a little kid that got separated from his mom."

I could imagine Demyx being sad about me leaving, but not depressed. It wasn't like I was going to be gone forever…

"You and Roxas come here all the time, right? Bring him with you next time."

"It's worth a shot; anything to get him to stop acting like an emo…"

…

-- Axel's POV --

…

We had been talking so much, we barely touched our ice cream. Not wanting them to melt, we finished them quickly. Nikki laughed at me when I got brain freeze from eating my ice cream too fast, but then commented on how I didn't have a brain _to_ freeze. When I glared at her, she only laughed harder. Once we finished, we decided to drop the sticks over the edge to see which one would hit the ground first. The loser had to pay the winner fifty munny. Momo would be the judge. Nikki took two markers out of her pocket and we colored the sticks; hers was blue and mine was red. Nikki ended up winning, though I swear she cheated…

A little while after our little contest, I noticed Nikki was falling asleep. No, scratch that. She _was_ asleep. I almost jumped out of my skin when she began to lean forward, dangerously close to falling off the tower.

"Whoa!" I exclaimed, grabbing Nikki before she could fall.

After shaking her gently for a few seconds, she woke up. She slowly rubbed her eyes and looked up to see my reprimanding glare.

"Jeez, Nikki. If you're gonna nod off, do it on the ground." I scolded as she sat up and straightened her posture.

"Sorry. I didn't sleep well last night."

"Did you have a nightmare?" I asked.

"No, nothing like that. I just…" She paused. "I had a lot of things on my mind."

I nodded in understanding. "I know what you mean. The last few months of the school year _can_ be a bit overwhelming; you know, with final projects, and studying for exams."

She sat there for a minute before replying, "Yeah."

I could tell something was bothering her, and it wasn't just school. For a minute there, I was doubting that school was bothering her at all; that it was something else.

"There's something else bothering you, isn't there?"

No answer.

"Come on Nikki, you know you can tell me anything."

Still no answer.

After the second time she didn't reply, I took the hint and decided to drop it for now; 'put a pin in it,' as some would say.

"Okay, I get it. You don't want to talk. I just want you to know that if there is anything you want to talk about, and I mean _anything_, you can always come to me. I know that I'm not the most sensitive and caring person on the planet, but I'm a damn good listener."

I paused as I tried to think of something else to say. Nikki didn't seem to mind, since she didn't try to rush me.

"Look, Nikki.." I sighed. "I might sound like a nag sometimes, but I only do it because I care about you. You mean a lot to me, you know?"

At this point, she should at least have _some_thing to say. However, she still hasn't said anything. At first, I thought she was mad at me for picking at her a little bit earlier. It was either that, or she was staring off into space again..

".. Nikki?"

I turned to look at her, and nearly fell off my spot on the ledge.

There she was, sitting in an upright position with her head down, fast asleep. It really is amazing what kind of positions people can fall asleep in…

"_She fell asleep!"_

I would have been angry, if Nikki wasn't so cute when she was sleeping. She was even snoring a little bit, but it was - dare I say it - a cute kind of snore.

"_She must not have slept well last night.."_

…

-- An Hour Later --

…

Sandy and Roxas returned an hour later, and they were surprised to see that Nikki was fast asleep. I noticed that Sandy was pouting, though I couldn't imagine why she was doing that… unless she was planning something..

"Wow. She must have had a crappy night if she fell asleep that quick." Sandy said. "Either that, or you're the most boring person on earth."

"Oh, ha, ha." I mumbled, ignoring Roxas' snickering.

…

-- Later, At Sandy's House --

…

Roxas and I brought Nikki and Sandy back home. Lulu greeted us enthusiastically, nearly knocking Roxas over when she jumped up to lick his face. I quietly snuck away when Sandy attempted to wrestle the lab off my best friend, with no such luck; that dog was stronger - and heavier - than she looked.

Reaching their room, I walked over to Nikki's futon, and noticed Momo curled up beside it. Carefully laying her down, I pulled the covers over her body. Up until now she had me to snuggle up to (she does that whenever I hold her), but now that she was back in her futon, she settled for the blanket. As I gently brushed a lock of hair out of her face, I could hear her heart beating. Each beat seemed to echo through the empty chasm of my own chest, filling it with a warmth that I haven't felt in ages. Until Roxas and Nikki showed up, I had almost forgotten what it was like to truly feel. Before they came into my life, I was just as cold and ruthless as the rest of the organization.

Huh. I guess Saïx was right; I really _have_ changed.

Just as I was about to get up and leave, I caught sight of her lips. I had kissed those lips once before, but it was mostly as a distraction so that Riku could make off with her team's flag. I cut it off before I got too into it, but the damage had already been done; by the time I was finished, I wanted to kiss her again. After several days, here was my chance, sitting right in front of me like it was practically being handed to me on a silver platter. There was no way I was going to miss this opportunity. As my lips grew closer to hers, that warm feeling came back, making my chest feel like it was on fire. My stomach was tingling, like a million butterflies were trying to beat their way out. Soon our lips were mere centimeters apart.

"_Just a little more…"_

"Hey, Axel!"

"_Damn it!"_

I immediately stood up, forcing the blush off of my face before anyone could see it. I stood up just as Roxas and Sandy entered the room. Sandy, after hearing her stomach growl, went to get something to eat from the kitchen. Seeing that Nikki was out like a light, and safe in her futon, Roxas was willing to return to the castle. He may have been ready to leave, but I wasn't ready… not yet. He left after I told him I would meet him back at the castle, and, with Sandy in the kitchen, I was free to take a look at the little blue book that I had noticed when I first walked in. When I took it out of Nikki's bag, I noticed that it had no writing on the front or back. Not sure what the book was for, I cautiously opened it. I closed it immediately when it turned out to be Nikki's diary, and I just happened to open it at her latest entry. Blushing furiously, I put the diary back in the bag and warped out of the room.

…

-- At The Castle That Never Was --

…

Roxas asked me what was wrong when I returned to the castle, but I was too busy worrying about hiding my beet-red face from everyone as I hurried to my room to hear him. After nearly kissing Nikki and accidentally looking at her diary, I just wanted to be alone until my brain (and my body) calmed down. I plopped myself onto my bed and stared at the ceiling, wiping the sweat off my brow as I tried to silence the butterflies that still remained in my gut.

After about an hour or two, I was finally able to fall asleep. As I closed my eyes and drifted off into slumber, the page that I had seen from Nikki's diary started to read itself back to me.

_Dear Diary,_

_What is a heart? A vital organ whose only purpose is to pump blood? Or the source of all emotion in the human body? _

_The answer is both._

_Up until a year ago, my heart only knew pain. I put up a huge wall in order to protect it, locking it away so that it wouldn't get hurt again. When I arrived at the Castle That Never Was, Roxas was the first person to break through my wall. Not long after that wall went down, Axel managed to worm his way into my heart. Now he's stuck there, and he's growing inside of me like cancer. Too bad you can't use chemo to get rid of a person - or half a person…_

_After almost a year, it's too late to try to get rid of him. He's a part of me now. I can't imagine life without him. He is always there for me, even when I don't want him to be because I'm too stubborn to admit when he's right and I'm wrong._

_It's ironic…_

_I locked my heart away so no one could ever hurt me again… only to have it end up being stolen right out from under me by a man who lost his own heart a long time ago._

_I would never admit it, but… I think I might be in love with him…_

…

…


	45. Dirty Little Secret

**Banshee: Hello everybody. Sorry it took so long. I had finals, and I was busy with Christmas, and I had a couple other things I was working on. Writer's block didn't help much either... ugh... Well, anyway, here's chapter 44! I also have another story on fictionpress if you want to check it out; I have the same username. Have fun! 3**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix does. I only own my OCs and the plot. So no sue.**

Chapter Forty-Four: Dirty Little Secret

Recap:

"Dear Diary,

Up until a year ago, my heart only knew pain. I put up a huge wall in order to protect it, locking it away so that it wouldn't get hurt again. When I arrived at the Castle That Never Was, Roxas was the first person to break through my wall. Not long after that wall went down, Axel managed to worm his way into my heart. Now he's stuck there, and he's growing inside of me like cancer. Too bad you can't use chemo to get rid of a person - or half a person…

After almost a year, it's too late to try to get rid of him. He's a part of me now. I can't imagine life without him. He is always there for me, even when I don't want him to be because I'm too stubborn to admit when he's right and I'm wrong.

It's ironic…

I locked my heart away so no one could ever hurt me again… only to have it end up being stolen right out from under me by a man who lost his own heart a long time ago.

I would never admit it, but… I think I might be in love with him…_"_

…

…

* * *

_I'll keep you my dirty little secret_

_(Dirty little secret)_

_Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret_

_(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)_

_My dirty little secret_

_Who has to know?_

_The way she feels inside_

_(Inside)_

_Those thoughts I can't deny_

_(Deny)_

_These sleeping dogs won't lie_

_(Won't lie)_

_And now I try to lie_

_It's eating me apart_

_Trace this life back_

_

* * *

_

It was Science class. While the other students were listening to the teacher's lecture about the planets and stars, I was in deep thought as I tapped my finger against the desk, trying to figure out what the hell happened yesterday.

One minute I'm sitting on the clock tower with Axel, and the next, I'm in my futon without even having a clue of how I got there. I asked Sandy what happened, and she just said that Axel and Roxas dropped us both off at the house and went back to the castle (after she wrestled Lulu off of Roxas, of course. She really likes him, for some reason). I knew that there was more than what she was telling me, but I was still sleepy, and I was hungry, so I didn't argue.

Axel has been acting strange too. I tried asking him what happened, but he just repeated what Sandy told me.

Roxas wasn't much help either.

Apparently my friends weren't the only ones that noticed that I was spacing out, because our teacher, Mr. Lincoln, walked over to my desk and slapped me in the back of the head. The rest of the class snickered, and Mr. Lincoln gave me a 'pay-attention-or-I'll-smack-you-again' look before walking back to the front of the room. I heard the others laughing as well and shot them a glare, making them stop immediately.

…

- Axel's POV -

…

I was one of the ones that snickered when Mr. Lincoln smacked Nikki, but I stopped when she turned around and glared at me. She also glared at Kairi, Roxas, Demyx, and Zexion.

This wasn't the first time she spaced out during class, but she usually snapped out of it after a couple of minutes.

"You okay, Nikki?" Kairi asked.

"Hm?" Nikki's head perked up when the redhead addressed her. "Oh, yeah. I was just spacing out."

"Is something bothering you?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

"Usually, when you space out like that, there's something bothering you."

"I'm fine, Kairi, really."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

I knew that Nikki was lying, and I could tell that Kairi knew too. She decided to let it go, though, and went back to taking notes. It was a good thing she did, too, because Mr. Lincoln was glaring in our direction out of the corner of his eye. When the noise stopped, he went back to writing on the board.

I watched her tap her pencil against her desk and stare out the window, already knowing what was on her mind. She wanted to know what happened yesterday; how she got from the clock tower in Twilight Town to Sandy's house. She wasn't satisfied with the answers we gave her, and was digging through her memory to see if anything else happened. From the look on her face, she wasn't having any luck. I couldn't tell her what happened. If she found out I tried to kiss her, she would kill me. To take it one step further, if she found out I _accidentally_ (that part I can't stress enough) read her diary, she'd mutilate me in ways that I'm too scared to imagine… _then_ kill me. My face turned green just thinking about it.

"Axel?" I heard Roxas ask. "Why is your face green?"

"Um… It's nothing, Rox. Don't worry about it."

He gave me a look before returning to his work, leaving me to reflect on my current situation.

"_To tell or not to tell… Wait.. Why the hell am I even thinking about this? Of course I'm not gonna tell her! She'd _kill_ me!"_

The bell rang after a while, but I was too wrapped up in my own thoughts to notice. Apparently, the same thing happened to Nikki… only, she snapped out of it after she saw all the other students pack their things and leave. I had yet to do come back to Earth myself, because I was busy trying to figure out how to tell the truth without getting maimed. I froze when I felt my shoulder being tapped, and looked up to see Roxas.

"Class is over. C'mon, get your stuff and let's go."

I blinked. "What? It's over? Already?"

Roxas gave me another look and shook his head. "You're acting really weird today.."

…

- Roxas' POV -

…

Ever since yesterday, Axel has been acting really weird. He's been spacing out all day, which is something I'd expect from Demyx or Nikki.

"You're acting really weird today.." I said, shaking my head. "If you keep spacing out like that, you won't be ready for the big exam that's coming up."

He blinked. "Exam? What exam?"

"See what I mean?"

Axel sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry I keep spacing out, Rox. I just have a lot of things swimming around in my head right now." He said as we walked out of the classroom and into the hall.

I gave him another look. I knew exactly what was on his mind; just because I'm young, doesn't mean that I'm stupid or oblivious. Looking him dead in the eye, I asked, "Did something happen between you and Nikki?"

I saw him blush.

"No!" He exclaimed defensively. "What makes you think something happened?"

"You're blushing, moron." Crossing my arms, I continued, "Come to think of it, you were blushing when you came back to the castle last night… So something _did_ happen!"

"Nothing happened." Axel insisted.

"Liar!" I yelled.

"Roxas-"

"Liar."

"I just-"

"Liar."

"Roxas, let me-"

"Liar."

"I'm telling you-"

"Liar."

"Roxas-"

"Liar, liar, pants on fire."

Finally, he cracked. "Okay, okay! I'll tell you what happened, but you gotta promise not to tell _anyone_… _especially_ Nikki, got it?"

I nodded. He leaned in real close and whispered so quietly, there was no way anyone could possibly hear him but me. He told me what happened at the clock tower, up to Nikki falling asleep, then he went on to when we brought her back to Sandy's place. As Sandy was trying to wrestle her dog off me, he took Nikki to bed. When he told me what happened next, my eyes grew to the size of dinner plates, and I blushed a little.

"You did _what_?" I exclaimed.

"Shh!" Axel shushed me.

"Don't you 'shh' me! Nearly kissing her is bad enough, but reading her _diary_? Do you have a death wish, or something?"

"That was an accident."

"Sure it was.."

"I'm serious!"

I sighed again. "I swear, you can be such an idiot sometimes…"

He raised an eyebrow at me, but didn't say anything.

"Okay…" I said after a few minutes, crossing my arms. "I won't tell anybody."

"Thanks, Rox."

"You do know that you'll have to tell her eventually, right?" I inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Axel shrugged. "Yeah, I know.. I'm just trying to figure out how to tell her the truth without getting maimed.."

I laughed a little, knowing that's _exactly_ what would happen if he ever _did_ tell her. Reading a girl's diary, even if it's accidental, automatically means you have a death wish, especially if the diary belongs to a girl like Nikki. He'd be lucky to get out of it with minor injuries, and even those would be so heinous that I got a sour taste in my mouth just from thinking about it. Before I thought about it too much, I nudged Axel in the ribs with my elbow, and said, "We should get going, or we'll be late for History."

…

- Nikki's POV -

…

"What's taking those two so long?" I asked, tapping my foot impatiently.

"I don't know, but if they're not here by the time class starts, Mr. Jameson will give them another detention.." Zexion said, tapping his watch. According to the watch, we had two minutes left until class started.

As if on cue, we saw Axel and Roxas running as fast as they could down the hallway. They came to a screeching stop outside the classroom door, panting heavily and leaning against the wall for support.

"And they made it!" I exclaimed in mock excitement. "And with only one minute and forty-two seconds to spare! Seriously though, you need to get out of this habit of showing up at the last minute."

Roxas gave me a look, and Axel just scratched the back of his head.

"We would have been here sooner, but the space cadet had to go to the bathroom." Roxas said, gesturing to Axel with his thumb. The redhead rolled his eyes at the new nickname.

"Space cadet?" Demyx asked.

"It means he was spacing out." Zexion answered.

"Oh… Oh yeah! I get it now! Space cadet.." The nocturne chuckled to himself.

All of the joking stopped when we heard Mr. Jameson walking down the hallway. We hurried into the classroom and took our seats just before he walked through the door. Not long after he walked in, the bell rang. Mr. Jameson was in a chipper mood as always, humming an indistinct tune as he set everything on his desk.

"Good afternoon, class." He greeted, setting his cup of coffee down. "As soon as I collect last night's homework and take attendance, we'll continue our study of World Wars I and II. Hopefully we'll be able to finish up and move on to the next unit today. We're a little behind because of those fires we've been having."

I saw Axel smirk when Mr. Jameson said "fires." He must have seen my accusing glare, for he turned away and whistled innocently.

After a few minutes of my glare burning a hole through his skull, he finally turned around and said, "What?"

"We're a week behind because of you." I half-whispered, half-growled.

"Lighten up, will ya? I just saved you guys from a few boring lectures."

My glare intensified. "Yeah, and now we're stuck with even more work."

"Oh, come on. Don't pretend you weren't relieved when those fire alarms went off." He said with a smug smirk.

"Tch. Idiot.." I muttered, rolling my eyes.

…

- Axel's POV -

…

Yeah, I'll admit it. I caused a few fires in order to get out of class. All that extra work we got was just a minor setback.

After class had ended, we headed straight for the courtyard. On nice days, we liked to hang out there. Not many students came out there, which was why we made it our regular hangout during, before, and even after school hours.

Nikki sat there underneath a tree while the rest of us sat out in the sun. It was hard to see what she was doing because she was on the other side of the tree. If there's one thing I know about Nikki, whenever she puts herself out of sight, she's doing something she doesn't want others to see. My curiosity got the better of me and I snuck away from the group. As soon as I was out of their line of sight, I disappeared into a portal, reappearing in the tree. I was almost directly above Nikki. I could see her clearly through the branches, and tried to be as quiet as possible. With my position as the Organization's assassin, stealth was my specialty, and it was a piece of cake for me to move around and not be detected.

Yeah, I know, I'm spying on her, but I couldn't help it.

What the heck was she doing, and why was she being so secretive about it?

I saw a familiar little blue book, and if I had a heart it would have skipped a beat. The last time I saw it was last night, and I didn't know it was a diary until I opened it. Just looking at it now made me break out into a cold sweat, and I suddenly realized that I was giving Nikki another reason to kill me if she ever found out about it. As nervous as I was, I couldn't stop looking. I couldn't see the letters clearly because Nikki wrote her diary entries in cursive which was harder to read over a distance.

I moved in closer to try to get a better look, freezing up when I heard a cracking noise. Without thinking, I had moved from one of the thicker branches to a smaller one, this new branch, as I found out the hard way, wasn't strong enough to support even my skinny ass and was beginning to break. It was too late to go back, and moving anymore would only speed up the process. Warping out of the tree wasn't a good idea either because someone was sure to notice.

Remarkably, Nikki was completely unaware of the situation. She was usually very skittish when she was doing something secretive, every little sound making her tense up and cover whatever she is doing. The reason for her lack of concern became clear when she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and I saw one of her blue earphones.

"_She's listening to music again…"_

I know Nikki. When she puts her earphones on, she puts up the music so loud that the music is _all_ she can hear, and it is hard for anybody to get her attention unless they made physical contact.

The lower the branch sank, the more nervous I became. Even if she couldn't hear the sound of the branch breaking, she would certainly hear me crashing down on her.

It was official. I was one fall away from getting my ass kicked.

All hope for saving my existence seemed lost until Sora came up to Nikki and tapped her on the shoulder. She instinctively closed her diary before he could see anything she wrote.

"Nikki," He said as Nikki took her earphones out. "We're heading over to the island. You coming?"

"Sorry. I have to go meet Sandy. But thanks anyway." She declined, putting her mp3 player away and slinging her backpack over her shoulder. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

She said her goodbyes to everyone, then ran over to the front gate, where Sandy was waiting with Momo. He summoned a portal, which they entered, and, just like that, they were gone.

"Hey, where's Axel?" I heard Roxas ask.

"_Oh, _now_ they notice that I'm gone…"_

As if on cue, the branch beneath me finally gave in, snapping in half and falling to the ground, me falling with it. I hit the ground hard, landing painfully on my back. The branch hit me square in the face, one of the sharp edges cutting me across my cheek. The fall nearly knocked all the wind out of me, and I laid there on the ground for a few minutes trying to catch my breath.

"Speak of the devil." I heard Zexion say with a sarcastic tone.

"Shut up." I managed to choke out, slowly picking myself up off the ground.

"You were in that tree the whole time?" Demyx inquired. Then he continued, "Then that means…" He gasped. "You were spying on Nikki, weren't you!"

"So what if I was?" I retorted defensively.

"What was she doing?"

"Like I'm gonna tell you." I refused to answer his question, and gathered my things. Slinging my back over my shoulder, I grumbled, "I'm going back to the castle."

"You sure you want to do that? I just got a text from Sandy. She's inviting us to dinner at her house." Roxas said, holding up his phone.

"What about Xemnas?" Demyx asked.

"Don't worry about it, I'll ask him." I said, taking out my phone.

…

- At Sandy's House -

…

I might have said that I would ask Xemnas for permission, but what I ended up doing was the exact opposite. All I did was leave him a message saying that we were going. I was definitely going to get in trouble for that later, but hey, it's not like he doesn't have anybody else to boss around..

As soon as we walked through the door, Lulu pounced on Roxas, knocking him to the floor and licking the daylights out of his face. It took three of us to get her off him.

"Why does she keep doing that?" I asked as Sandy gave Roxas a washcloth to wipe the dog slobber off his face.

"Beats me." Sandy said. "She must really like him."

"Guess Naminé 's got some competition, eh Roxas?"

Roxas said nothing, glaring at me before turning away and continuing to wipe his face.

"Where's Nikki?" Demyx asked.

"She's in the shower. She'll be out in a minute."

As if on cue, Nikki, clad in a plush bathrobe, poked her head out of Sandy's bedroom door and called out, "Hey Sandy, have you seen my bra? I left it on my futon and now I can't…"

As soon as she saw us, she froze.

"… find it…"

Then she let out a small "Eep!" and retreated back into the room.

After a few minutes, she exited the room, fully dressed, her hair still a little wet from the shower.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you guys, but… What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Sandy invited us over for dinner." Demyx said.

"Really?" Nikki turned around and glared accusingly at Sandy, who let out a little nervous laugh. "Is that so?"

"What? We should hang out more often."

"I hate it when you go ahead and invite people over without telling me."

Sandy was about to retort when her mother walked into the room. She greeted us in a similar fashion to Nikki's mother, but with less kisses. Her younger siblings swarmed into the room after their mom, her sister dragging along a distraught Momo who was dressed up in a princess outfit. May, the sister, continued into her room to dress the experiment up in more outfits, while her brothers, Billy and Ty, stopped in front of us.

"You sure have a lot of guy friends." Said Sandy's nine-year-old brother, Ty. "So which one's your boyfriend?"

Nikki's face turned red.

"None of them! They're my friends, okay!" She exclaimed heatedly.

"It's the tall one, isn't it?" He asked, pointing to me.

Nikki narrowed her eyes at the nine-year-old. "Don't you have ants to drown, or something?"

"I knew it! It _is _the tall one!"

"Shut up, Ty!"

"Nikki and Axel sitting in a tree~. K-I-S-S-I-N-G~~.." Ty teased in a sing-song voice.

"That's it! You are so _dead_!"

Nikki lunged forward, attempting to grab Ty by his collar, but he jumped back just in time.

"When I'm done with you, you'll wish you were never born!"

He ran around in circles with her chasing him, narrowly avoiding her hands, which, if they got a hold of him, would wring his neck. Then Sandy's mom, Kim, caught Ty by the back of his shirt, scolding him for making a scene in front of guests. As soon as she took her eyes off her son, her expression did a one-eighty from stern to cheerful as she told us that dinner was ready.

…

- Later, At The Castle That Never Was -

…

Dinner at Sandy's house was… eventful, to say the least.

Ty continued to tease Nikki, that is, until she kicked him hard in the shin from under the table. The nine-year-old retaliated by taking a spoonful of mashed potatoes and flinging it at her. A food fight ensued, with Lulu and Momo circling the table and devouring anything that hit the floor. The night ended with the kids being sent to their rooms, and the rest of us helped Kim lean up the mess.

As we said goodbye, Nikki and I locked eyes for a few seconds before she blushed and looked away.

When we returned to the castle, Xemnas gave us a verbal beating for not being around to do our chores. In order to make up for it, we needed to do twice the work tomorrow. God, Xemnas can be such a slave driver.. Doesn't he know that we have other things to do besides missions and chores… like homework? I can't believe I just said that…

I had difficulty falling asleep, even though I felt like there were lead weights attached to my eyelids. After a few hours, I gave up on trying to get comfortable and just laid there. Even at one o'clock in the morning, I was still laying there staring at the ceiling. When I thought about what I did in the tree, I wanted to slap myself.

I tried to kiss Nikki while she was sleeping, read her diary (by accident of course), and now I added spying on her to my rap sheet.

The secrets were just piling up, one right after another…

How many things were going to happen until I told Nikki the truth?


	46. No Matter What

**Banshee: Hello everyone! It's finally finished. If it seems rushed, I'm sorry, I just wanted to get it done so I could get to the more important next chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Love you all! Ja ne~!**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Five: No Matter What

* * *

Recap:

_Dinner at Sandy's house was… eventful, to say the least._

_Ty continued to tease Nikki, that is, until she kicked him hard in the shin from under the table. The nine-year-old retaliated by taking a spoonful of mashed potatoes and flinging it at her. A food fight ensued, with Lulu and Momo circling the table and devouring anything that hit the floor. The night ended with the kids being sent to their rooms, and the rest of us helped Kim lean up the mess._

_As we said goodbye, Nikki and I locked eyes for a few seconds before she blushed and looked away._

_When we returned to the castle, Xemnas gave us a verbal beating for not being around to do our chores. In order to make up for it, we needed to do twice the work tomorrow. God, Xemnas can be such a slave driver.. Doesn't he know that we have other things to do besides missions and chores… like homework? I can't believe I just said that…_

_I had difficulty falling asleep, even though I felt like there were lead weights attached to my eyelids. After a few hours, I gave up on trying to get comfortable and just laid there. Even at one o'clock in the morning, I was still laying there staring at the ceiling. When I thought about what I did in the tree, I wanted to slap myself._

_I tried to kiss Nikki while she was sleeping, read her diary (by accident of course), and now I added spying on her to my rap sheet._

_The secrets were just piling up, one right after another…_

_How many things were going to happen until I told Nikki the truth?_

…

…

When my alarm went off at seven in the morning, I was already awake.

I didn't get to sleep 'till around two, and, thanks to a nightmare about being crushed by a giant blue book, woke up around six.

Having only gotten at least three hours of sleep, I wanted to just lay there and try to get back to sleep, but I knew that my slave driver of a Superior wouldn't let me. In order to avoid getting in trouble, I forced myself out of bed and into my uniform, and went to join the others for breakfast.

"Jeez Axel, you look terrible." Roxas commented as I walked into the kitchen. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, man." Demyx agreed. "You look like you got hit by a truck."

"I'm fine." I said, grabbing a bagel before taking my seat at the table. "I just had a rough night."

Roxas, Zexion and Demyx exchanged looks as I got up and poured myself a cup of coffee, not even bothering to add milk and sugar. I didn't drink coffee that much, and only used it as a last resort to wake me up in the morning. I drank the coffee in less than a minute, the scalding heat not bothering me because of my element.

"You sure you're feeling okay?"

I gave them the "I'm-fine-now-stop-asking-me-or-I'll-beat-the-crap-out-of-you" look, and the questions stopped - for now, anyway.

Once we were done with breakfast, we gathered our things and headed off to school.

…

- At School -

…

School hasn't even started yet, and, so far, everyone we knew asked if I was okay, if something was wrong, or if I was hit by some large vehicle. The first thing Sora said to me when we arrived was "Are you feeling all right?" followed by a comment from Riku about how I looked like shit. I was already irritated because of my lack of sleep, and everyone asking if I'm okay every five seconds was making it worse. Five minutes until the bell, and I was at my breaking point. If one more person asked me anything about my health, I would answer with my fists instead of words.

"I swear to _God_, I'm going to punch the next person that pops the 'Are you okay?' question in the face.." I growled.

"You okay, Axel?" I heard a voice say from behind me.

At the inquiry, my last nerve snapped. Balling up my fist, I turned around, ready to strike.

"Are you people deaf? I said I'm-"

I stopped immediately when I saw Nikki, her face contorted into shock as my fist stopped inches away from her. She had just arrived, and had no idea what transpired before she decided to ask her oh-so-innocent little question. Her expression changed from shocked to irritated, and I couldn't blame her because that's how I would react too if someone nearly punched me in the face.

"Uh…"

"What is up with you lately?" She demanded, shoving my still balled up fist away. "You've been acting really weird."

"Sorry." I apologized. "I'm just a little on edge."

"'A_ little_ on edge..' Right…"

"What's in that bag?" I asked, after taking notice of the little bag that was in her hands.

At my question, she cradled the bag protectively and hid it behind her back.

"It's a secret." She said.

"A secret, huh? Don't worry, sweetheart. I won't tell."

"Forget it."

"Oh, come on!"

"No! You'll have to wait until _after_ school."

"That's not fair."

"Deal with it."

I was about to retort when the morning bell rang. The others were already heading into the building, leaving the two of us alone. That didn't last long, however. Nikki looked at me with a raised eyebrow before gathering her things and heading inside, with me not that far behind her. When we arrived at our first class, we took our seats quickly, and the teacher took attendance while everyone took out their homework from last night. I checked my bag and realized, after checking every nook and cranny, that I had left my homework for all my classes back at the castle.

"Shit…" I cursed under my breath.

This was going to be a _long_ day…

…

- Later, At Destiny Island -

…

Instead of going back to the castle, like we usually did, we decided to pay a visit to Destiny Island. It was a nice day, and, after a hectic day at school, we could use some quiet time, and the island was the perfect place to go if you wanted some peace and quiet.

I know I definitely needed it.

We sat down by the huge palm tree bearing the Paopu Fruit, watching the sun set over the horizon. Everyone was quiet at first, but conversations started up after someone commented on the beautiful colors in the sky. Nikki was the only one not participating. In fact, she looked like she was thinking about something. When a thought finally came, she let out a little "Oh!" and jumped off her spot on the tree. Taking out the little bag I saw earlier, she reached her hand inside. As she was doing this, she walked over to Roxas and asked him to hold out his hand. He did as he was asked.

"Um… Nikki? What is this?" Roxas asked as Nikki placed a star-shaped object in his hand.

"It's a good luck charm. I made it out of seashells." She said, smiling.

…

_Somewhere out there, there's this tree with star-shaped fruit... and the fruit represents an unbreakable connection._

…

She went around the group, giving everyone a little seashell charm. Each one was a different color, attached to a chain, and was big enough to fit in the palm of your hand. The only one left was made of blue shells, which she kept for herself (which didn't surprise me at all since her favorite color was blue). I looked at my charm for a brief moment, admiring the work she put into it. She then admitted that she had no clue how to make them, so she asked for Kairi's help. I had to look away because that nervous smile of hers was cute - so cute, it was _painful_ to look at.

…

_If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each other's lives no matter what._

…

"These shells are so pretty! Where did you get them?" Demyx asked.

"Right here on the island." Nikki answered, her face beaming with pride.

"How long did it take you to make these?"

"I would say it took me about two, three weeks tops; with Kairi helping me, of course." She said as she tapped her chin with her finger. "Most of that time was spent actually collecting the shells."

"I love it!" Sandy squealed, holding her charm against her chest. Then she put the charm in her shirt pocket. "I'm gonna keep it right here."

…

_So as long as you and your friends carry good luck charms shaped like it, nothing can ever drive you apart._

…

"These charms are a symbol of our friendship. So don't lose them." She said, wagging her finger at us.

"You don't have to worry about that." Said Zexion.

"Me? Lose a charm that my friend made for me? Ain't gonna happen." Sora proclaimed as he attached the chain to one of the belt loops on his pants.

…

_You'll always find your way back to each other._

…

"As long as we have our good luck charms, we'll always be together; even if we're worlds apart."

I had heard the story behind the Paopu Fruit over a million times, and it never used to affect me. Immortality was always the only thing on my mind. If I could live on in people's memories, then I would never have to worry about fading away into oblivion like the others. When Roxas came along, he was the closest thing I had to a friend in years - and I only say that because I'm a Nobody, and we Nobodies don't really have friends because friendships require, well, emotion, which is what we don't really have. And don't get me started on love…

"It's getting a little late." Sandy said, looking at her watch. "We'd better get home. Mom wants us back for dinner. You guys wanna come?"

"No thanks. I got homework to do." Sora said.

"Ditto." Said Riku and Kairi.

"Xemnas is still pissed about yesterday, so, on top of homework, we have to do twice the work because of all the chores we missed." I grumbled, and Demyx, Roxas, and Zexion nodded in agreement.

"Thanks for offering, though." Demyx chimed in.

"Okay. See you guys tomorrow, then." Sandy said.

She and Nikki stood up, and Momo, who had been there for the past hour, created a portal that they disappeared into after waving goodbye to everyone. Then Sora, Riku, and Kairi took their boats and paddled back to the main island, leaving me, Roxas, Demyx, and Zexion. We teleported off the island as well, landing ourselves back at the castle, where, under the watchful eye of Berserker Boy, we did our chores before doing our homework.

Later, after all my work was done, I laid there on my bed staring up at the ceiling - yet again.. Just like last night, I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stop thinking about what happened on the island.

…

_If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined._

…

I held the charm by its chain, the star-shaped item swinging back and forth in front of my face. It was then that I noticed that Nikki had drawn a little smiley-face in the center of the star, similar to the one that Kairi drew on the charm she made for Sora. I was sure that she did that with everybody's. The smiley-face looked familiar; red hair, green eyes, and upside-down teardrop markings under said eyes. It was a cutesy little version of my face, in case you couldn't guess.

The Paopu Fruit was the symbol of an unbreakable connection, and carrying charms shaped like it would keep you and your friends together no matter how far apart you are. At first I thought it was just a bunch of soft-hearted, sentimental bullshit, but that was before I had friends… before I met Nikki..

…

_They'll remain a part of each other's lives…_

…

A few years ago, I wouldn't stick my neck out for _anybody_. Everything was all about me. I put my own agenda first, and everyone else had to pick a number and wait in line. My only goal was to be immortal by living in the memories of everyone I met. Now I have a best friend and a would-be girlfriend that I would gladly sacrifice myself for.

Yeah, I'll admit it. I was an ass when I first met her. But she sort of grew on me, you know? The same way she grew on everyone in the Organization.

Nikki and I are alike. We both lost something very important to us, leaving us broken… incomplete. But we found a way to live with it. Her sense of humor is similar to mine, and we often played pranks on the other Organization members together. Even when we were being punished by Xemnas, we would spend our entire "punishment" laughing our asses off at whatever we did. There were times when she came up with schemes that were just as devious as mine, if not worse.

She's my kind of girl.

…

_… no matter what._

…

Listen to me. I'm getting all soft.

But I can't help it.

I love her.

…

…


	47. Blackmail

**Banshee: Hello everyone. Sorry it took so long. I got sick, so I couldn't write... TT_TT But I'm all better now. :D Here's chapter 46.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Kingdom Hearts. Square Enix does. I only own my OCs and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Six: Blackmail

* * *

Recap:

"_Um… Nikki? What is this?" Roxas asked as Nikki placed a star-shaped object in his hand._

"_It's a good luck charm. I made it out of seashells." She said, smiling._

_She went around the group, giving everyone a little seashell charm. Each one was a different color, attached to a chain, and was big enough to fit in the palm of your hand. The only one left was made of blue shells, which she kept for herself (which didn't surprise me at all since her favorite color was blue). I looked at my charm for a brief moment, admiring the work she put into it. She then admitted that she had no clue how to make them, so she asked for Kairi's help. I had to look away because that nervous smile of hers was cute - so cute, it was _painful_ to look at._

"_These shells are so pretty! Where did you get them?" Demyx asked._

"_Right here on the island." Nikki answered, her face beaming with pride._

"_How long did it take you to make these?"_

"_I would say it took me about two, three weeks tops; with Kairi helping me, of course." She said as she tapped her chin with her finger. "Most of that time was spent actually collecting the shells."_

"_I love it!" Sandy squealed, holding her charm against her chest. Then she put the charm in her shirt pocket. "I'm gonna keep it right here."_

"_These charms are a symbol of our friendship. So don't lose them." She said, wagging her finger at us._

"_You don't have to worry about that." Said Zexion._

"_Me? Lose a charm that my friend made for me? Ain't gonna happen." Sora proclaimed as he attached the chain to one of the belt loops on his pants._

"_As long as we have our good luck charms, we'll always be together; even if we're worlds apart."_

…

…

…

- At Sandy's House -

- Nikki's POV -

…

I sat cross-legged on my futon, reading my favorite book and trying my best to ignore Sandy as she rambled on about how I should stop being so stubborn and confess my feelings. It started after I told her about everything that happened between me and a certain pyromaniac redhead in the past year, and she's been teasing me about it ever since.

"I mean, seriously, it's completely obvious that you have feelings for him, and it's even more obvious that he has feelings for you, so why don't the two of you just confess already? The suspense is _killing_ me!"

I rolled my eyes as she continued to talk, waving her hands around as she paced around the room. Sandy has always been very expressive, and often moves her hands around when she talks. She also has a habit of pacing.

She suddenly stopped pacing and planted herself right in front of me, putting her hands on her hips as she tapped her foot against the floor impatiently.

"When are you going to tell him?" She demanded.

"Tell him what?" I asked.

She grabbed the book out of my hands and tossed it aside, the impact of the book hitting the floor startling Momo.

"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. When are you going to tell him that you love him?" She repeated her last question with more detail.

When I didn't answer, she sighed.

"Let me tell you something, honey." She began, putting her hand on my shoulder. "I've been with you through thick and thin, ever since we first met in kindergarten. I was with you when you suffered through all that heartbreak. And I can tell you this: For a Nobody with no real emotion, Axel has done more for you than any other guy; he's the one that gave you Hazel when you were upset because your old cat died; he protected you when Monique's skeeze ball boyfriend tried to force himself on you in the bathroom; he returned your locket - your most prized possession - after you lost it; he makes you laugh; I could go on and on with this."

"… I… I can't… I don't know if I…" I trailed off.

"Nikki, I'm your best friend. I just want to see you happy."

"I know you're only trying to help, but I can't tell him.."

"But if you don't tell him soon, you'll lose him forever. If you don't think you can do it alone, I'll go with you for moral support."

"… Really?" I asked, perking up a little. "You would do that?"

Sandy smiled. "Of course. That's what best friends do."

"Okay…" I sighed. "I'll do it. I'll tell him."

"Tell him what?"

"That I…" I stammered.

"That you what?"

"That I… That I love him."

At my confession, Sandy clapped her hands together in a congratulatory gesture. "Good, I got you to say it out loud. Now say it again, but this time say it louder."

"I love him."

"Louder."

"I love him."

"Louder!"

"I love him!"

"LOUDER!"

"I LOVE HIM!"

Apparently she was satisfied with this final outburst because she didn't have me continue. Instead, she hugged me and we jumped up and down, squealing and laughing in excitement.

"Will you guys shut up?" Ty shouted from the other room. "I'm trying to watch _Spongebob_!"

We stopped jumping up and down at the interruption, and Sandy took one hand off of me and shook her fist as she shouted back, "Nikki just had a breakthrough, you little cretin! Don't ruin it!"

…

- The Next Day -

…

When I woke up this morning, I rushed to get ready because I woke up late. I wanted to get to school so quickly, that I didn't even look at my clothes before I put them on, and because of this, Sandy had to stop me three times before we could go anywhere. The first time I had my shirt on inside-out, the second time I had on two different socks, and the third time I was only wearing one shoe.

By the time I got to school, I only had two minutes to get to my first class before the bell.

I had Sandy to thank for that.

Last night, she had me practice my confession and wouldn't let me go to sleep until I could talk without stammering.

"You'll thank me for this later," I remember her saying before we went to bed.

After Momo dropped us off, I said a quick goodbye to Sandy and took off running. I burst through the doors and made a run for my first class, and I was grateful that all of the teachers were now in their classrooms and not out in the hall shouting at me to not run. Aside from me, there was no one else in the hallway. Unfortunately, I failed to notice that there was a wet spot on the floor where the janitor just mopped, and he had left momentarily to get a "wet floor" sign. As soon as my foot hit that wet spot, I slipped and landed butt-first on the floor.

"Well that's just _perfect_…" I growled as I rubbed my sore rear-end - which was now wet.

"You alright?" A familiar voice asked.

I look up, and saw Axel standing over me. I would have blushed in embarrassment from him seeing me on my ass in a puddle, but I forced it back before it could show. If he saw me blushing, I would never hear the end of it.

"My butt hurts, but other than that I'm fine." I said.

He offered me a hand and I took it, and he pulled me up onto my feet. As soon as I was on my feet, I took my jacket (it was cold that morning) and tied it around my waist to cover the wet spot on the back of my skirt.

"Maybe your skirt will dry quicker if you take it off." Axel said with a suggestive wiggle of the eyebrow.

I responded by punching him in the arm.

"Ouch." He said, feigning pain.

"Pervert." I growled.

"Aw, don't get mad sweetheart. I was just kidding."

"Sure you were.." I said, rolling my eyes.

…

- Later -

…

We managed to make it in time for class, but we still got in trouble for not being in our seats when the bell rang. It would have been just a warning, but _no_… Axel _had_ to open his big mouth and talk back. Now we have to report after school and wash the chalkboard and desks. Luckily it was only in one room, but I was still pissed. Aside from my crazy years, I never got a detention. I was a good kid. That's what I get for hanging out with people like _him_…

I told Sandy to go home without me, and that I would be home in half an hour - or however long it would take us to wash everything. Axel started on the desks while I washed the chalkboard, which, in my opinion, was a lot easier than cleaning desks.

"This is all your fault, you know." I deadpanned, as I wrung out the sponge and started to wipe down the chalkboard. "You just can't keep your big mouth shut, can you?"

"That teacher was out of his mind if he thought he could reprimand us for nothing." Axel retorted.

"You still shouldn't have mouthed off like that." I said, ignoring the look he was giving me.

All of a sudden, I heard a faint buzzing sound and recognized it as my phone. I used a paper towel to dry off my hands and took my phone out of my bag. A little envelope was on the screen, which meant that I had gotten a text message. Knowing that it was from Sandy, I opened the text and saw what she had written.

_"Did you tell him yet?"_

I briefly looked over at Axel, who was focusing all his attention on the desk he was currently working on. Apparently there was something stuck on it, and he was determined to get it off. While his back was turned, I used the keyboard on my phone and responded _"... No.."_ and put the phone in my shirt pocket before he could see it. Two seconds later, my phone buzzed again, and I flipped it open to see her response.

_"Tell. Him. NOW."_

She was obviously mad, because the word "now" was in all capital letters. I typed a quick reply and sent it, putting the phone away just in time to avoid Axel seeing me text during detention. He noticed that half of the chalkboard was done and called me lazy, declaring that he had cleaned one third of the desks in the time it took me to do half a board. All of his ridicule stopped when I threw a wet sponge at him. He threw it back at me, calling me a "lazy ass" and told me to get back to work. My response was an eraser to the back of the head.

…

- Axel's POV -

…

"Hey Axel.." Nikki said, once she was done throwing things at me.

"Yeah?"

"There's something that I want to tell you." She said with a serious expression.

"Shoot."

She sat there for a minute, avoiding eye contact by looking down at the floor. I could tell she was nervous, because she kept twiddling her fingers (something that she always does when she's nervous), and she couldn't stand still. I could also see that there was a faint tint of pink on her face, and she was doing a horrible job of holding it back, and an even worse job of hiding it from me.

"I-I…" She stammered, taking a deep breath before continuing in a more confident voice, "I lo-"

She was cut off when the teacher came into the room and said, "Okay, you two. Your time is up. Let's see how you did."

The teacher walked around the room, starting with the chalkboard. He ran his fingers over the surface to check for any dust, then moved on to the desks. Traveling around the room, he checked each desk discriminately, even checking underneath them for gum. After the inspection, he walked back over to us with a pleased visage.

"The desks haven't been this clean since the school first bought 'em. Good job." He congratulated, patting us both on the shoulder. "You can leave now. See you tomorrow - and don't forget your homework."

"Yes sir."

And with that, the teacher left, and we weren't far behind. We picked up our things and left the building as quickly as possible. We both had homework to do, and I had chores to do on top of that.

"So, Nikki.. What were you trying to tell me?" I asked, when we reached the front gate.

Nikki was about to answer when a portal appeared, Momo's head poking out of said portal.

"Oh! There's Momo. Sorry, Axel. I have to go. I'll tell you tomorrow, okay? See ya."

She said most of that so quickly, that I could barely understand it. Before I could respond, she walked into the portal and two seconds later it was gone.

What the hell was she trying to say to me?

As I pondered this, I suddenly felt a stinging pain as something hit me in the back of the head.

...

When I came to, everything was dark. I couldn't see because someone put a blindfold over my eyes, I couldn't move my arms or my legs, and my head was aching from the blow it took. The blindfold was suddenly ripped off of me, and I realized where I was; I was in the girl's locker room, surrounded by cheerleaders. A small group of jocks stood behind me, and there was no doubt in my mind that they were there to smack me around if I got out of line. Feh. Like I was afraid of them.

I contemplated teleporting out, but I couldn't. If I did, my true identity would be exposed and I'd be in a shit-load of trouble with Xemnas. Instead, I went along with it.

"What the hell is this? What's going on?" I demanded.

One of the cheerleaders stepped forward, and I recognized the curly blonde hair and the full lips curled in a conniving smirk.

"Hello Axel." She greeted with a smirk.

"Monique.." I said her name with disdain. "I had a feeling you had something to do with this."

"Why so hostile?" She inquired, feigning innocence. "I just want to talk."

"Oh, right… I was knocked out, tied up with jump ropes, and held hostage in the girl's locker room after school hours because you 'just want to talk…' That makes perfect sense…"

I grunted in pain when one of the jocks smacked me in the back of the head.

"You weren't brought here to make smartass remarks; you were brought here because I have a proposition for you."

"Oh joy…" I muttered sarcastically, letting out a small "Ow!" when I was smacked again.

"I want you to be my boyfriend." Monique said, pointing one of her manicured fingers at me.

My eyebrow went so high, I though it would disappear into my hairline. She wanted me to do _what_? "What? What about-"

"Stan? I got bored with him, so I got rid of him."

"And why do you want me?"

"To hurt Nikki, or course." She replied nonchalantly. "It's obvious that she has feelings for you. Stealing you will hit her where it hurts her the most."

According to Nikki, she has no idea why Monique is so hell-bent on making her miserable. I don't think anybody knows. For as long as I've known her, she's been nothing but a nice person. Maybe she made a few enemies while she was going through her violent streak, but she made peace with those people and they're on good terms now.

Why does Monique want to hurt Nikki so badly?

I might as well find out while I'm here.

"What do you have against her, anyway?" I asked.

"It's nothing personal. I just want to make her miserable."

"You sure?" I asked with raised eyebrow. "You don't want revenge after that beating she gave you?"

I don't think anybody at school forgot about that day. For anybody that doesn't know, Monique insulted Nikki and got her ass kicked. Being the head cheerleader means nothing if you're up against somebody that got into fights on a weekly - almost daily - basis.

"Of course I do." She said.

"Then it's personal."

"Quiet!" Another smack. "Maybe it is a little personal. No one attacks me and gets away with it. Also, I hate how she's so optimistic and happy-go-lucky all the time. It's sickening. It makes me sick just thinking about it. As far as high school goes, she's on the bottom of the food chain. She's a nobody."

_"Oh, the irony…" _I thought. If only she knew who the _real_ Nobody was.

"There's nothing special about her, at all, yet people just flock to her like pigeons to a bunch of old hags with bags of bread crumbs. I'm the head cheerleader; I should be the one getting all the attention - especially from boys."

That's when it hit me. She was jealous.

"You just hate her because she's prettier, and more likeable, than you are."

At this statement, I saw Monique's cocky expression crack as the other cheerleaders gasped and exchanged frightened glances as they backed away.

"Shut up!" She yelled, taking her hand and slapping me across the face.

As much as I hate to admit it, I was caught off guard. I expected her to get angry, but I didn't expect to get hit. Despite being bitch-slapped, I was pretty pleased with myself. If anything, this proved that I was right.

_"Looks like I hit a nerve."_

"Look…" Monique seethed, her expression and demeanor turning malicious. "I'm going to sum up my feelings towards her in three simple words: I hate her. I hate everything about her. I want that delicate little porcelain heart of hers to _shatter_ into a million pieces. When I'm done with her, she'll be so broken, _nothing_ and _nobody_ will be able to fix her; not her family, not her friends, and especially not _you_."

"You're sick. What makes you think that I would ever agree to go out with you?"

All of a sudden, Monique calmed down, and looked at me with an expression that made my stomach turn. "If you care about Nikki's wellbeing, you will."

"What are you going to do to her?" I demanded.

"All you need to know is that something bad will happen to her if you don't do what I say."

She walked over to me and grabbed my jaw, forcing me to look her in the eye.

"What's it going to be, Axel?"

...

...


	48. Heartache

**Banshee: Hello everybody. I finally finished chapter 47. Don't forget to vote in the poll. It will determine what song will play during the prom scene. If anybody has any songs so suggest, just pm me and I'll add it to the list. The poll is "Prom Song Choices" and it's at the top of my profile page. Okay, on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Kingdom Hearts. They belong to Square Enix. I only own my OCs and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Seven: Heartache

* * *

Recap:

"_I'm going to sum up my feelings towards her in three simple words: I hate her. I hate everything about her. I want that delicate little porcelain heart of hers to _shatter_ into a million pieces. When I'm done with her, she'll be so broken, _nothing_ and _nobody_ will be able to fix her; not her family, not her friends, and especially not _you_."_

"_You're sick. What makes you think that I would ever agree to go out with you?"_

_All of a sudden, Monique calmed down, and looked at me with an expression that made my stomach turn. "If you care about Nikki's wellbeing, you will."_

"_What are you going to do to her?" I demanded._

"_All you need to know is that something bad will happen to her if you don't do what I say."_

_She walked over to me and grabbed my jaw, forcing me to look her in the eye._

"_What's it going to be, Axel?"_

…

…

I should have said no.

I should have told Monique to go to Hell.

But I didn't.

Like a weakling, I gave in.

As soon as I agreed to her 'deal,' she laid down the 'ground rules' then let me go. When I say 'ground rules,' I mean 'orders.' I couldn't tell anybody about our 'agreement,' and I wasn't allowed to be around my friends. The only people I could hang out with were _her_ friends. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to be followed, and watched every minute to make sure I don't break the rules. I'm sure Nikki and the others will be watched as well; especially Nikki. I am pretty much her bitch now; I say this because if you're involved with Monique, you're not her boyfriend, you're her slave - her whipping-boy.

A part of me did it to protect Nikki, and another part of me did it to find out what Monique's plan was. She never specified what would happen to Nikki if I refused to go out with her. It was obvious that her goal in life was to hurt Nikki, and, to me, it seemed like there was no line that she wouldn't cross in order to do so.

I never doubted Nikki's abilities. She knew how to fight. When she was angry, her fists became lethal weapons, and adding hidden weapons to her arsenal made her even more dangerous. There are times where _I'm_ scared of her, and I'm a Nobody with the ability to control fire. Monique isn't stupid. She knew how to get around Nikki's superior fighting skills. Nikki could definitely handle one person, and could probably handle two people, maybe even three. But more than three? No way. I've seen her during training. She got overwhelmed when she was up against six Dusks. Granted, humans are different from Nobodies, but if Nikki was up against six people the outcome would be similar, if not the same. There's no doubt in my mind that Monique will have members of her posse following Nikki around wherever possible, and that all she had to do was make one phone call and she would be done for.

When I got back to the castle, I couldn't sleep for the whole night because Monique's threat left me wondering what would happen. What would happen to Nikki? Would she be beaten? Raped? Killed? Or all of the above? It made me sick to my stomach to think about any of those things happening. The thought of anybody putting their hands on her, whether it's just a beating or in a sexual manner, made my skin crawl and my blood boil.

As I laid there in my bed, I took the charm Nikki made me out of my pocket and stared at it, thinking, _"This is some mess I've gotten myself into.."_

…

- The Next Day -

…

I barely got any sleep last night.

All I could think of was what would happen to Nikki and the others; especially Nikki.

When I woke up, I ate breakfast, got ready for school and left before the others were even awake. I had to meet my 'girlfriend' at a certain time and God forbid if I was a second late. I arrived at school, before anyone else I knew, and Monique was on me immediately, wrapping her arms around mine and dragging me towards her pack. They began their annoying chatter as I sat there tuning them out unless one of them addressed me.

One by one, everyone started to show up. I suspected that Roxas would be looking for me since he didn't see me at breakfast. Sure enough, there he was, running towards me. I dreaded the conversation I would have with him because I couldn't hang out with him anymore, and I couldn't even tell him why.

"Axel! There you are. What's up?" He greeted. "We didn't see you at breakfast. Is something wrong?"

"It's over, Roxas."

His cheerful demeanor suddenly changed to confused. "What?"

"We can't be friends anymore."

He sat there for a minute before he scoffed, "Very funny, Axel."

After taking another look at me, he saw that I was serious. Then came the dreaded question, ".. But… But why?"

"I'm tired of hanging around losers who do nothing but drag me down. I'm hanging with a new crowd now, and I don't want you or any of the other nobodies bugging me. Got it? Now get out of my sight before I shove your puny ass into the nearest trash can."

Saying that hurt pretty bad, but it didn't hurt nearly as much as seeing the look on my best friend's face afterwards. He was on the verge of crying, and his expression was a cross between hurt and anger. I didn't blame him for feeling this way, but I had to be an ass; I had to, or something bad could happen. Lucky for me I had a good poker face so he couldn't see what was really going on inside my head.

"Fine." He said, his voice cracking. "If you want to be a jerk, be a jerk. When you get smart and remember who your _real_ friends are, you know where to find me."

As he stormed off, I felt my stomach twist into a knot.

"Good job." Monique congratulated. "At first I didn't think you had it in you to diss your best friend, but you really pulled through."

"Did you see the look on the little runt's face?" Said one of the jock boyfriends. "It was hysterical!"

"He almost cried! How lame is that?"

"What a little baby!"

As they all laughed, on the inside, I wanted to punch every single one of them; even the girls, and it was against my personal morals to hit girls. I held everything inside so no one could notice. Being a Nobody, it was real easy to hide any 'emotions' I 'felt.' If any of them showed, then my friends would get hurt and I would be stuck with the guilt.

And when Nikki showed up, it was going to be even worse…

…

- Nikki's POV -

…

As I arrived at school, I noticed that Roxas was very upset. The others were consoling him as he cried, which was something he never did before. Sure, he cries a little sometimes, but never like this. He was full-out crying; crying so hard that he was starting to cough, and if he didn't stop he would throw up. I didn't know what, or who, made him cry, but I was going to find out, and the person that caused it was going to get a piece of my mind and a boot up their ass.

"What's wrong, Roxas?" I asked.

"Axel's being a jerk." He said, wiping a tear away.

"What did he say?"

He repeated what Axel said to him earlier. "He said that we can't be friends anymore. He's 'hanging with a new crowd now' and he doesn't want me or any of the other 'nobodies' bugging him."

"What?" I exclaimed. "That jerk! How can he say that? You're his best friend!"

"Apparently, I'm not."

"I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind!"

I turned to walk away, to find Axel and give him a good 'talking to,' but Sora grabbed my arm, stopping me.

"No, don't!" He yelled.

"Why not?" I demanded, yanking my arm away from him.

"That new crowd he's hanging with… are the cheerleaders…"

"And the jocks." Riku finished Sora's sentence.

My eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. He was with _WHO_? "_What_? The _cheerleaders_? And the _jocks_? Did he have an aneurism or something? Why is he with them?"

"He didn't say." Roxas said. Then he continued under his breath, "I'm probably not good enough to know the reason."

"Don't talk like that, Roxas. If he's with the cheerleaders, then there must be something going on." I reasoned. "They might be threatening him, or something."

Roxas scoffed. "They can't threaten him. He can fight circles around those losers."

"Good point.."

"Perhaps he changed sides…" Zexion said. "Along with being the Organization's assassin, he is also a double agent."

"Or he could be undercover." Sora suggested.

"That's stupid." I said. "Whatever he's doing, I'm going to get to the bottom of it," the bell rang, "after school.

…

- Later -

…

The school day went by agonizingly slow. Axel ignored everyone, including me, and wouldn't talk to any of us even if we addressed him directly. I knew that Axel would never hang out with the 'populars' voluntarily. They probably had some dirt on him, and are exploiting the hell out of it. Whenever I tried to approach him outside of class, members of the squad would immediately butt in and either confront me or drag him away before I could get a word out.

When the bell rang, I waited outside the gate for him. He was the last one out of the building, and the cheerleaders and jocks were nowhere to be seen. Sandy soon arrived, and I briefed her on the situation. She reasoned that they hypnotized him with their dark powers and only my confession of love will snap him out of their spell and send him running back to me, an idea that I shook my head at.

"You watch too many chick flicks." I remarked as soon as she finished talking.

"Go on! He's all alone!" She whispered, pointing to Axel, who was alone in the courtyard. "Now's your chance!"

"You still expect me to tell him? After he said those things to Roxas?"

"He was probably putting on a front for those stupid cheerleaders. Go on! Maybe your heartfelt confession will turn him back to the light side!"

I rolled my eyes.

I decided to make this quick, because the clouds were getting dark and they were moving in fast. It was going to rain soon, and, judging by how dark the clouds were, it was going to rain _hard_.

Not wasting any more time, I ran out into the courtyard and yelled, "Axel!"

That got his attention, for he stopped walking and turned around to face me.

"Roxas told me what you said. How could you talk like that to your own best friend?"

He was silent for a moment, and his expression was - there was no expression. Nothing. His face was completely blank. "I wouldn't expect you to understand anything."

"Why are you with the cheerleaders?" I demanded. "Have you forgotten about all the trouble they caused for us? For our friends? Or are they not good enough for you anymore?"

"They were dragging me down."

"Bullshit! They have something on you, otherwise you would never be with them! And what was Monique doing with her arms around you?" I exclaimed, referring to when I observed Monique wrapping her arms around him during lunch.

"She's my girlfriend."

Whatever I was about to say next, died before they could come out.

"… W-What?" I asked in disbelief.

A sudden crackle and boom sounded before the rain started to fall, and Axel's expression suddenly turned cold. "You heard me. Monique is my girlfriend."

…

_It's nice to know that you were there_

_Thanks for acting like you cared_

_And making me feel like I was the only one_

…

"You know how she is. She's evil. She's been torturing me for years. She's the biggest bully in existence! No guy in his right mind would even _consider_ going out with her! And I thought.." I stammered. "I thought you…"

"You thought what?" He cut me off. "That I liked _you_? I did. But I got tired of you always shooting me down."

"Axel.."

"It's over." He said, turning around and summoning a portal.

"Axel, wait…"

One foot was in the darkness.

"Stop!"

He stopped.

"Don't leave! I love you!"

He flinched, and stood there for a moment, letting the statement sink in. For a moment, I thought I had actually gotten through to him. He turned around, and, instead of the response I was expecting, my heart shattered when he gave me the coldest glare and said, with no emotion at all, "Sorry. But you're too late. Goodbye."

He walked through the portal and it disappeared, and the rain came down full force.

…

_It's nice to know we had it all_

_Thanks for watching as I fall_

_And letting me know we were done_

…

I fell down to my knees, and I was crying, but it was raining so hard that I couldn't tell tears from rainwater. My strength was gone. I felt like I was going to vomit, my stomach was tied in knots, and, most importantly, my heart had been shattered into a million pieces.

Monique had taken away the one thing that I actually loved; the one person I trusted with my heart more than anyone (outside of family and friends). She had tried many times before to hurt me, but this time she had done it; she had hurt me so badly, that I felt like I couldn't function anymore. Everything around me seemed to disappear. I didn't know where I was, but I had a good idea; I was in Hell; a Hell made just for me.

…

- Sandy's POV -

…

I couldn't believe my eyes.

Axel shot Nikki down, and he did it so coldly, with no emotion.

Now she was on her knees, crying in the rain; crying so hard that she would cough violently. She had been through heartbreak before, but she was never this bad.

I ran to her side and caught her before she could fall completely, and held onto her as tightly as I could as she cried into my shoulder. She sobbed uncontrollably and pathetically, holding onto me for dear life, as if I was going to leave her too. Her heart had been broken several times before, but this was the ultimate and final break; the break that could never be fixed; the wound that would never heal; the pain that would never go away.

"Nikki, I… I'm so sorry…" I whispered as I stroked her hair to help calm her down.

"No.." She finally managed to choke out after a few minutes of crying. "_I'm_ sorry; sorry for thinking that this would actually work out…"

…

- At Sandy's House -

…

Ever since we got back, Nikki hadn't left the futon since I put her there a few hours ago. She refused dinner, and refused to speak because every time she opened her mouth she would start crying again. I had her change out of her sopping wet clothes and put something warm and dry on. I took a pair of pajamas and put them in the dryer so they would be nice and warm when she put them on.

I couldn't imagine what kind of pain she was going through. She had liked guys before, but Axel was different. She didn't just like him; she _loved_ him.

…

_You were everything, everything_

_That I wanted_

…

But now it was over.

Monique had dug her claws into him, and now he was gone; out of Nikki's reach, just like she wanted. It made me sick. She messed with my friend for years, and it was because she was prettier, and was more genuine and people liked her more. It made me sick how she was willing to ruin someone's life and make them miserable over petty jealousy.

She will get her just desserts.

She can count on it.

…

_We were meant to be, supposed to be_

_But we lost it_

…

"Do you want something to eat?" I asked.

She slowly shook her head no, and covered her face with the blanket as she felt another crying fit coming on.

"You have to eat something." I said. "I'm not going to let you starve yourself."

"I'm not starving myself." She retorted weakly. "I'm just not hungry. I'm so depressed that I don't have an appetite.."

…

_All of the memories so close to me_

_Just fade away_

…

After a few hours, she finally went to sleep. Before then, she cried off and on, and came close to vomiting several times. I had to force her to eat, and sat there and watched her to make sure she didn't try to make herself puke. I had done this with her in the past, but I never actually had to watch her as closely as I was. With her being this depressed, I couldn't leave her alone, not even for a second because I didn't know what she would try to pull.

…

_All this time you were pretending_

…

I was certain that Monique had something on Axel.

It was obvious that he was in love with Nikki, and he would never say anything close to what he said to her today. She had blackmailed him; she had done something, or he would never be with her. She might be threatening him with something as well, something that would get him to do whatever she wanted him to do. Whatever she threatened him with, he couldn't get out of it.

Monique is like a snake; I would like to take a rock and smash her, or cut her into little pieces with a shovel.

I am going to make it my mission to find out what Monique is doing, and put a stop to it.

Nikki and Axel are _meant_ to be together, and anybody with half a brain can see it.

…

_So much for my happy ending_

…

Nikki is my best friend, and I want to see her happy. We've known each other since kindergarten and we've protected each other and stood by each other through thick and thin; through all the bullies, hardships and heartbreaks, she had my back and I had hers. If we switched places, and I was in that position, she would do everything in her power to make it alright. Nothing would get in her way, and if anything did she would plow through the obstacle like a human bulldozer.

I'm going to get to the bottom of this.

I'm getting to the bottom of this, and Monique is going to pay.

Nobody hurts my best friend.

_Nobody._

…

…


	49. Reflections

**Banshee: Hello. This chapter's mostly flashbacks. Don't forget to vote in the poll. Okay, on with the story.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts; Square Enix does. I only own my OCs and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Eight: Reflections

* * *

Recap:

"_She's my girlfriend."_

_Whatever I was about to say next, died before they could come out._

"… _W-What?" I asked in disbelief._

_A sudden crackle and boom sounded before the rain started to fall, and Axel's expression suddenly turned cold. "You heard me. Monique is my girlfriend."_

"_You know how she is. She's evil. She's been torturing me for years. She's the biggest bully in existence! No guy in his right mind would even _consider_ going out with her! And I thought.." I stammered. "I thought you…"_

"_You thought what?" He cut me off. "That I liked _you_? I did. But I got tired of you always shooting me down."_

"_Axel.."_

"_It's over." He said, turning around and summoning a portal._

"_Axel, wait…"_

_One foot was in the darkness._

"_Stop!"_

_He stopped._

"_Don't leave! I love you!"_

_He flinched, and stood there for a moment, letting the statement sink in. For a moment, I thought I had actually gotten through to him. He turned around, and, instead of the response I was expecting, my heart shattered when he gave me the coldest glare and said, with no emotion at all, "Sorry. But you're too late. Goodbye."_

_He walked through the portal and it disappeared, and the rain came down full force._

_I fell down to my knees, and I was crying, but it was raining so hard that I couldn't tell tears from rainwater. My strength was gone. I felt like I was going to vomit, my stomach was tied in knots, and, most importantly, my heart had been shattered into a million pieces._

_Monique had taken away the one thing that I actually loved; the one person I trusted with my heart more than anyone (outside of family and friends). She had tried many times before to hurt me, but this time she had done it; she had hurt me so badly, that I felt like I couldn't function anymore. Everything around me seemed to disappear. I didn't know where I was, but I had a good idea; I was in Hell; a Hell made just for me._

…

…

Sandy tried her best to help me feel better. She offered me ice cream and asked if I wanted to watch chick movies; something plenty of other girls do when they are rejected or dumped. But chick movies were not the thing that would cheer me up. It would hurt me even more to see a movie about romance (which is pretty much what chick flicks are).

The only thing that would cheer me up… was being with Axel again; whether it was being his girlfriend or just a friend, _anything_ was better than not being with him at all.

At first, I hated him. This was when we first met. He was a jerk back then.

…

- FLASHBACK -

…

"_Heya Shorty."_

_I growled as Axel ruffled my hair with his hand. Slapping his hand away, I tried to focus on the book I was reading._

_When the Organization let me go back to my house to get some essentials, my books were the first things I brought with me to the castle. The one I was reading was my favorite, and I was only four chapters away from finishing it for the twentieth time. I would have finished it hours ago, but Axel kept coming in and bothering me._

"_Don't call me 'Shorty.'" I growled through gritted teeth, raising the hand that was holding the book threateningly._

"_I'm taller than you, so I have the right to call you whatever I want, and that includes calling you 'Shorty.' And, since you are our captive, you have no say in the matter." He said smugly, roughing up my hair again and ignoring my growl._

"_Look, I know you have orders from your 'Superior' to keep an eye on me, but there has to be _something_ you'd rather do than sit here and watch me read."_

"_Now that you mention it… Nah."_

"_Nothing at all?"_

"_Nope."_

"_Great.."_

"_What's the matter? Don't you like me?"_

"_No. I don't." I deadpanned._

"_If I had a heart, that would actually hurt."_

"_Couldn't your 'Superior' have gotten someone else to watch me? Like Roxas?"_

"_Sorry, but you're stuck with me Shorty."_

"_Will you quit calling me 'Shorty!'"_

"_You're pretty cute when you're angry."_

"_God, you are so annoying.."_

…

- END FLASHBACK -

…

He bugged the crap out of me. He called me 'short,' and gave me pet names, such as 'honey,' 'sweetheart,' and 'babe,' and made sexist remarks and jokes that made me punch him in the face more than once.

His attitude improved over the next few months, and we became friends. He, Roxas and I became a trio, like Sora, Riku and Kairi, and would spend almost every day hanging out at the clock tower. We played pranks together, and weren't phased when we got punished, and when we were, we would spend the rest of the time laughing about it. I still remember when I put a 'special' plant inside of Marluxia's garden, but that one backfired and the plant turned out to be a Heartless. Either way, his reaction was hilarious.

Though his attitude improved, some things still stuck; like the pet names. He still called me 'honey,' 'sweetheart,' and 'babe,' no matter how many times I told him not to.

The second he entered my school, he became a target. Even though I considered Axel my friend, Monique still kept trying to steal him from me. Because of how close we were, she knew that stealing him would hurt me. She tried even harder for revenge when I jumped her in the lunchroom after she insulted me. The bitch deserved it. Nobody calls me a 'dirty, rag doll scrub' and gets away with it.

Axel teased me about my reaction, saying that I reacted that way because I was jealous.

I was. But I wasn't going to admit it.

…

- FLASHBACK -

…

"_So.. About today.. _Who_ did you mean when you said I was 'with someone else?'" He asked coyly, with an all-knowing smirk._

"_Nobody." I said gruffly, walking around him. "I just didn't want you to end up as one of Monique's 'boy-toys.'"_

"_You don't say.."_

_He put an arm around my shoulder and asked, "And is this 'someone else' somebody I know?"_

_I rolled my eyes. _

"_Let it go, Axel."_

"_I'll take that as a 'yes.' Is this 'someone else' a girl?"_

"_Probably, unless you swing more towards guys."_

"_Does this 'someone else' have a black kitten named 'Hazel?'"_

"_That's enough, Axel.."_

"_It's _you_, isn't it?"_

"_Shut up.."_

"_Hah! I knew it! I knew you couldn't resist my charm and good looks!" He yelled in triumph. _

"_Oh please… I wouldn't fall for you even if I was desperate. But Demyx or Riku… I'd say they're more my type."_

"_Oh really?" Axel scoffed, flicking his finger as a fireball appeared in his hand. "Can Demyx and Riku make fire?"_

"_Hm.. I doubt it. But Demyx can sing - really well, I might add - and he's also sweet and sensitive, and Riku has unwavering loyalty, passion and devotion. I'd say that beats fire by a landslide."_

"_Hm… Then why were you jealous when Monique was flirting with me?"_

_I blushed._

"_No I wasn't!"_

"_Oh please, you were hotter than a baked potato."_

"_Liar!"_

"_Let's face it Saru. You were jealous. You know… my offer to be my girlfriend is still open for you…"_

"_AXEL!"_

…

- END FLASHBACK -

…

When Christmas time came along, things seemed to perk up around the castle. I talked Xemnas - more like pestered him - into letting me have a party, and I could see all my friends; even the ones that were the Organization's 'enemies.'

I looked forward to Christmas, but at the same time I dreaded it because my sister died on Christmas Eve. Being with my friends lifted my spirit's a bit, and I was able to enjoy myself without feeling bad about my sister's death.

The first time Axel approached me with mistletoe, I took it as a joke. He followed me around with it for days, and then it got annoying; _fast_. I didn't know why he wanted to kiss me so badly; probably so he could hold it over my head for the rest of our lives. Maybe he actually wanted to. But since he's so evasive and devious, I never know what, exactly, is on his mind, or what he really wants.

As for the Christmas mistletoe, I was certain that one of the other members had set it up so they could catch us.

…

- FLASHBACK -

…

_When I walked into the living room, most of the members were finishing up unveiling their gifts. I saw the looks of happiness on their faces, and I saw that I had succeeded in bringing Christmas spirit to The Castle That Never Was. Leaning against the doorframe, I felt a strange feeling of accomplishment as I was successful at trying the impossible._

"_Feeling better, Ms. Raggedy-Anne?"_

_I rolled my eyes as Axel appeared next to me, also leaning on the doorframe._

"_Watch it, carrot top. It may be Christmas, but I won't hesitate to hurt you. I punched you in the face once today, and I can damn well do it again."_

_He flinched slightly, but regained his composure just as quickly._

"_So, uh.. Who're you going to the Sadie Hawkins with?"_

"_Demyx. Why?"_

"_Just wondering.."_

"_Saru!"_

_Roxas ran up to me, holding a present in his hand, which I was guessing was for me._

"_You haven't opened your presents yet."_

_He paused for a second, before adding, "And you might want to look up."_

_That was the only thing he said before he darted off to join the others in 'testing' the new items they received. _

_Axel and I took the hint, and looked up._

_And there it was. Mistletoe._

_It was a very awkward moment, as neither of us were expecting it. And for once, it wasn't Axel's doing. I really should have known that this would happen. After all, mistletoe was everywhere at Christmas time. On doorframes, hanging from ceiling fixtures, etc._

"_Come on, kiss already so we can take a picture!"_

_Demyx was holding a camera, which, I am guessing, was his, with that same goofy grin._

_Man… I'm gonna need a shower after this…_

_I leaned forward and gave Axel a quick kiss on the lips, as the camera's light flashed._

"_Aw, you guys look so cute together!" Demyx chimed, as he looked at the picture he had just taken with a satisfied grin._

…

- END FLASHBACK -

…

I asked Sandy to bring me my album because I didn't feel like leaving my futon; I didn't feel like doing a _lot_ of things. As soon as she gave it to me, I started looking for that picture. Soon enough, I found it. After Christmas, Demyx got the pictures on his camera developed and, unbeknownst to Axel, gave me a copy to put in my album.

From the look on my face, I knew I wasn't enjoying it. Back then it never crossed my mind that I might have feelings for him.

"Sandy, could you get me something to eat?" I asked. "I'm hungry."

"Want some ice cream?" She suggested.

"Sure, whatever.."

She left to fetch me some ice cream, and I continued to flip through the book.

…

- FLASHBACK -

…

"_Ah, ah, ah…" A familiar voice scolded. "I hate to break it to you sweetheart, but getting this flag isn't that easy."_

_I cringed at that voice, knowing full well who it belonged to._

"_Axel.."_

"_Nice to see you too, honey." Axel said, smirking playfully._

"_Well?" I asked after a few seconds of silence. "Aren't you going to tag me?"_

_Axel shrugged. "As much as I'd love to make you my prisoner, if I took you out, the game wouldn't be as much fun. By the way, you look good for someone who's been running around in the woods; not a lot of people look too good covered in dirt."_

_His grin slightly faltered at the sight of my glare, but he recovered quickly, twirling the flag in his hand. He noticed that I kept staring at it anxiously, and his smirk got wider as the gears began turning in his head._

"_What? You want this flag?" Axel asked coyly, waving the flag back and forth in front of me._

"_Obviously, otherwise I wouldn't be in here right now." I said in a matter-of-factly tone._

"_Alright." He said, placing the flag back onto the table and taking a few steps away from it. "Go on, then. Take it."_

_The redhead noticed the look on my face and said, "What are you waiting for? Take the flag. No one is stopping you."_

_I refused to move._

"_Alright then, let's make this a bit more interesting. I'll let you grab the flag, and I'll even give you a ten second head start. Sounds fair, right?"_

_At first I didn't trust him, but I've known Axel long enough to know that he doesn't go back on his word. So I went along with it. I cautiously walked over to the table, never taking my eyes off of Axel the entire time, in case he had some sort of trick up his sleeve. I reached for the flag and grabbed it, looking back at Axel._

"_Ten…"_

"Crap! He started counting! I've gotta get out of here!"

_I turned tail and ran out of the room, barreling down the hallways of the base, not caring if anyone heard me. I kept running until I reached a set of stairs and descended as quickly as I could, without tripping, and made a beeline for the door. Once outside, I ran towards the woods, making my way back to my team's side of the white line. After running for what seemed like forever, my lungs were burning and my legs ached. I was relieved, however, when I saw the white line, and attempted to run faster in order to reach it._

_Suddenly, a swirling black portal appeared right in front of the line, and I was forced to come to a screeching halt. Standing before me was - none other than - Axel, who was looking at me with a smug smirk on his face._

"_Time's up."_

_Before I had any time to react, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine. I felt my face grow hot, and I knew that it was turning a bright shade of pink. The kiss ended as soon as it began as Axel pulled away, leaving me dazed, and somewhat… disappointed._

"_By the way… that counts as a tag. Sorry sweetheart, but you're out."_

_His statement brought me back to reality, and now I was red for a different reason._

"_You conniving son-of-a-!"_

"_Ah, ah, ah, language…"_

"_Once this game is over, you are _so **dead**_!"_

…

- END FLASHBACK -

…

What he did that day was devious, conniving, and just plain wrong. He tricked me into a false sense of security by letting me grab the flag and gave me a head start, and caught me off guard with a kiss when time was up; which also counted as a tag. If it weren't for him and his dirty tricks, my team probably would have won.

"Here's your ice cream." Sandy said, handing me a bowl of chocolate ice cream. "Do you need anything else?"

"No, I'm fine." I said. "Thanks."

"No prob."

Then came the day that they found out that "Saru" wasn't my real name. They came with me over to my house, and my mom kept teasing me about Axel because she was under the impression that he was my boyfriend. It embarrassed me to no end; not only because she said this in front of him, but it was also because, at that time, I was considering that I might be in love with him. I was still trying to sort things out, and mom wasn't helping things at all.

…

- FLASHBACK -

…

"_Are you embarrassed about what your mom said about us… you know… dating?"_

_I smiled and shook my head.. "No. It's a parent's job to embarrass their kids; that's what they do."_

_We sat there for silently for a couple of minutes, until Axel asked, "Have you ever thought about it?"_

_I blinked. "Thought about what?"_

"_About us dating."_

"… _Oh…" I twiddled my fingers some more, before I said, quietly, "A few times.."_

…

- END FLASHBACK -

…

I actually did think about it; several times.

When people bring it up every day, several times a day, you do start thinking about it.

Sandy is like my mom when it comes to boys; she teases me about them, and automatically assumes I'm in love and the boy in question is my boyfriend. This was especially the case with Axel.

…

- FLASHBACK -

…

"_Axel gave you a note? Ooh, what does it say?" Sandy prodded, jumping up and down excitedly as I took the note out of the pocket of my discarded uniform shirt. "Is it a _loove_ note?"_

"**No**_!" I shouted defensively. "It was an answer to the question that I asked him in Health."_

"_And what was the question?" She asked, taking a seat on the futon._

_I told her about the conversation I had with Axel, up until the point where he handed me the note. When I was finished, Sandy urged me to open the note so the both of us could see what Axel wrote as a response. I carefully opened it, revealing a message._

"Whatever makes you happy."

"_Aw, how sweet." Sandy cooed. "Are you _sure_ the two of you aren't dating?"_

"_Yes, I am _completely_ sure. The two of us are just friends." I growled defensively, but it wasn't very convincing due to the blush on my face._

"_Of course you are… for now.." Sandy smiled deviously._

…

- END FLASHBACK -

…

I wanted to stay away from the castle for a month because I hadn't seen Sandy since I've been staying at The Castle That Never Was, which has been a year, so far, and I wanted to use the time to catch up.

My friends at the castle were affected by my decision, but they were behind me every step of the way, and Axel managed to convince Xemnas to let me stay out of the castle for a month. However, I was told that when the month was up, I had to return to the castle, no questions asked, or they would either drag me back or destroy me; the former being more likely.

As I sat there eating my ice cream, I continued to flip through the album. I came across the Fourth of July picture, and found myself staring at it.

I had looked at this picture before, and it wasn't that long ago; back when I finally started to realize that I loved Axel.

…

- FLASHBACK -

…

_I tried to get back to sleep, but my eyes refused to stay shut. Instead of struggling with sleep, I got up and started pacing around the room. Seeing my bag on the floor, I walked over to it and rummaged through it until I found a blue photo album. Sitting down Indian-style next to the futon, I opened up the album and began sifting through the pages. Half of the album was made up of pictures of my family before the accident, and pictures of my friends. I had begun to fill the other half of the album with pictures of the Organization. Shuffling through the pages, I found a picture that caught my eye._

_It was a picture of our little gang on the Fourth of July last year. The older members were off getting drunk, and the rest of us just hung out, checked out all the stands, and ate as much cotton candy as we could get. We had one of the other members - one of the sober ones - hold the camera while we posed for pictures. On the far right of the picture, there was Roxas with a half-empty bag of Boo-Blue flavored cotton candy in his hand. There were globs of silly string in his hair, but he was too busy laughing to care. Demyx was on the far left, and he had dragged Zexion into the picture, by his arm, at the last minute. The nocturne was wearing a bunch of glow sticks, he also stuck a few on Zexion, and he was holding a sparkler in his free hand. Axel and I were in the middle. He was holding me up by my waist, and my arms were around his neck in an attempt to hold myself up. The both of us were smiling and laughing, despite the fact that we were covered in silly string and confetti._

_No matter how much I told everyone that Axel and I weren't dating, I couldn't deny that we looked just like any other couple in the park that night. I sifted through a few more photos, and saw several with just me and Axel._

_Seeing pictures of the two of us together, and how happy we were, really got me thinking._

"Do I… _love_ Axel?"

…

- END FLASHBACK -

…

Then, it was a question.

Now, it was a statement.

I love him.

I never would have said it a few months ago because I was too stubborn, Hell, I still am, but I am humble enough to admit when everybody else was right; and they were. It got to the point where I couldn't deny it anymore.

But it was Sandy who finally got me to say it out loud.

…

- FLASHBACK -

…

"_Let me tell you something, honey." She began, putting her hand on my shoulder. "I've been with you through thick and thin, ever since we first met in kindergarten. I was with you when you suffered through all that heartbreak. And I can tell you this: For a Nobody with no real emotion, Axel has done more for you than any other guy; he's the one that gave you Hazel when you were upset because your old cat died; he protected you when Monique's skeeze ball boyfriend tried to force himself on you in the bathroom; he returned your locket - your most prized possession - after you lost it; he makes you laugh; I could go on and on with this."_

"… _I… I can't… I don't know if I…" I trailed off._

"_Nikki, I'm your best friend. I just want to see you happy."_

"_I know you're only trying to help, but I can't tell him.."_

"_But if you don't tell him soon, you'll lose him forever. If you don't think you can do it alone, I'll go with you for moral support."_

"… _Really?" I asked, perking up a little. "You would do that?"_

_Sandy smiled. "Of course. That's what best friends do."_

"_Okay…" I sighed. "I'll do it. I'll tell him."_

"_Tell him what?"_

"_That I…" I stammered._

"_That you what?"_

"_That I… That I love him."_

_At my confession, Sandy clapped her hands together in a congratulatory gesture. "Good, I got you to say it out loud. Now say it again, but this time say it louder."_

"_I love him."_

"_Louder."_

"_I love him."_

"_Louder!"_

"_I love him!"_

"_LOUDER!"_

"_I LOVE HIM!"_

_Apparently she was satisfied with this final outburst because she didn't have me continue. Instead, she hugged me and we jumped up and down, squealing and laughing in excitement._

"_Will you guys shut up?" Ty shouted from the other room. "I'm trying to watch _Spongebob_!"_

_We stopped jumping up and down at the interruption, and Sandy took one hand off of me and shook her fist as she shouted back, "Nikki just had a breakthrough, you little cretin! Don't ruin it!"_

…

- END FLASHBACK -

…

"Will you be able to go to school tomorrow?" Sandy asked.

I cringed.

I knew that I had to go back to school. Finals were coming up, and if I missed those then it was an automatic failure and I would have to repeat my junior year. On top of that, prom night was closing in, and I didn't want to be humiliated again by seeing my worst enemy attending the prom with the guy I loved. The prom may not be as important as school itself, or finals, but it was pretty important; if there was one dance in high school that you did not want to miss, it was the prom. It was Junior/Senior, and we could invite underclassmen and students from other schools.

"I guess.. As long as I stay way from certain people," 'certain people' being Axel and Monique, "then I should be fine."

"That's good." She said.

I finished up my ice cream, and Sandy took the bowl away and walked out of the room to put it in the sink.

I closed the album and set it aside, and laid on my stomach on the futon, folding my arms on my pillow and resting my head on them. I sighed heavily, thinking about what I was going to do. Was I going to spend the rest of my life avoiding the situation, or was I going to face it? If I avoided it, I'd be giving Monique the satisfaction of knowing that she won. If I faced it, then I would feel at least a little bit better and I could hold my head high.

With the kind of person I am, I would rather hold my head high than let it hang down in defeat. Damn it, my grandpa (on my father's side) is a war veteran! He never took anything lying down like a dog, and neither will I. I am going to confront them, and I'm going to feel good about myself afterwards.

I groaned; if only it were that easy…

…

- Axel's POV -

…

I've felt like crap before, but never like this.

After the way I talked to him, Roxas wouldn't talk to me, and neither did Demyx or Zexion. I didn't blame them. I acted like a douche to my own best friend, and, even though it was an act, it still hurt even though I don't have a heart.

The guilt and the pain felt so real, and it was getting overwhelming fast.

Hurting Roxas made me feel guilty enough, but that was just the tip of the iceberg; hurting Nikki was what really did it for me. The look on Nikki's face made my stomach turn, and listening to her cry like that made me want to vomit. It was the pathetic kind of crying that only someone who was hurt beyond repair could make. There wasn't anything Monique could do to her that would cause her any more pain than what she was already feeling.

I hated myself for it; I hated myself knowing that I was the one that made her cry like that.

I was supposed to be the one to make her laugh, and make her smile. I was supposed to protect her, and even though I was trying to by going along with this 'deal,' I ended up hurting her more than Monique ever could.

…

- FLASHBACK -

…

"_You did _what_?"_

"_I got a job at the nearby restaurant. What's the big deal?"_

_I banged my fist on the desk, pointing a reprimanding finger at Saru._

"_Are you brain-dead? That's the cheerleading squad's regular hangout. If they find out you're working there, they'll make your life a living hell."_

"_I am aware of that, Axel. But it's not like they don't do that enough already. I can take care of myself."_

"_You mean like you lost your cool and jumped her? You took pretty good care of yourself then…"_

_She glared at Sora._

"_That's because she was calling me a scrub. I wasn't going to stand there and let her insult me because she's a cheerleader."_

_Kairi was trying to lighten the mood by asking a completely off topic question:_

"_So, when do you start?"_

"_I start tonight. I'm working as a waitress."_

"_That's even _worse_! What happens if you end up serving Monique and her squad? They'll _torture_ you!"_

"_You worry too much Axel…"_

…

_Unbeknownst to Saru, I watched the whole time as Monique and her squad badgered her and even got her in trouble with her boss. I tried to warn her, but she was too stubborn to listen to me. When Saru opened the door to her room I was waiting for her, with my arms crossed._

"_I saw what happened at the restaurant. Didn't I tell you that they were gonna torture you?"_

"_You were spying on me?" She exclaimed, ignoring my question._

"_I had to. I wanted to be there if you needed me."_

"_I _don't_. This job was _my_ choice, not yours. So stop acting like my father, because you're _not_! Now get out of my room!"_

_I narrowed my eyes at her, but I walked around her and out of the room without a word. She slammed the door as soon as I left, taking the nearest blunt object and whipping it across the room as it hit the wall with a 'BANG!' That sound kept repeating about ten more times until she finally got tired of throwing things and just collapsed onto her bed and began punching the pillow._

"_GRAHH! DAMN IT!" I heard her scream from the other side of the door._

_It wasn't easy for me to fall asleep that night… and I doubt it was easy for her either._

…

- END FLASHBACK -

…

I came across as overprotective at times, but it was only because I was trying to look out for her. Hell, I was overprotective of Roxas when he first started in the Organization because he was dumb as a post and didn't know what to do with himself; besides act like a mindless drone that just did what he was told. Granted, he's a lot smarter now, I'm just saying he was dumb because that's how we all were at first.

The three of us were more tightly knit than a Hispanic family, and that's saying something. We spent almost every minute of every day together, eating sea-salt ice cream and goofing off when we didn't have any chores to do.

…

- FLASHBACK -

…

_Roxas and I brought Nikki and Sandy back home. Lulu greeted us enthusiastically, nearly knocking Roxas over when she jumped up to lick his face. I quietly snuck away when Sandy attempted to wrestle the lab off my best friend, with no such luck; that dog was stronger - and heavier - than she looked._

_Reaching their room, I walked over to Nikki's futon, and noticed Momo curled up beside it. Carefully laying her down, I pulled the covers over her body. Up until now she had me to snuggle up to (she does that whenever I hold her), but now that she was back in her futon, she settled for the blanket. As I gently brushed a lock of hair out of her face, I could hear her heart beating. Each beat seemed to echo through the empty chasm of my own chest, filling it with a warmth that I haven't felt in ages. Until Roxas and Nikki showed up, I had almost forgotten what it was like to truly feel. Before they came into my life, I was just as cold and ruthless as the rest of the organization._

_Huh. I guess Saïx was right; I really _have_ changed._

_Just as I was about to get up and leave, I caught sight of her lips. I had kissed those lips once before, but it was mostly as a distraction so that Riku could make off with her team's flag. I cut it off before I got too into it, but the damage had already been done; by the time I was finished, I wanted to kiss her again. After several days, here was my chance, sitting right in front of me like it was practically being handed to me on a silver platter. There was no way I was going to miss this opportunity. As my lips grew closer to hers, that warm feeling came back, making my chest feel like it was on fire. My stomach was tingling, like a million butterflies were trying to beat their way out. Soon our lips were mere centimeters apart. _

"Just a little more…"

"_Hey, Axel!"_

"Damn it!"

_I immediately stood up, forcing the blush off of my face before anyone could see it. I stood up just as Roxas and Sandy entered the room. Sandy, after hearing her stomach growl, went to get something to eat from the kitchen. Seeing that Nikki was out like a light, and safe in her futon, Roxas was willing to return to the castle. He may have been ready to leave, but I wasn't ready… not yet. He left after I told him I would meet him back at the castle, and, with Sandy in the kitchen, I was free to take a look at the little blue book that I had noticed when I first walked in. When I took it out of Nikki's bag, I noticed that it had no writing on the front or back. Not sure what the book was for, I cautiously opened it. I closed it immediately when it turned out to be Nikki's diary, and I just happened to open it at her latest entry. Blushing furiously, I put the diary back in the bag and warped out of the room._

…

_Roxas asked me what was wrong when I returned to the castle, but I was too busy worrying about hiding my beet-red face from everyone as I hurried to my room to hear him. After nearly kissing Nikki and accidentally looking at her diary, I just wanted to be alone until my brain (and my body) calmed down. I plopped myself onto my bed and stared at the ceiling, wiping the sweat off my brow as I tried to silence the butterflies that still remained in my gut._

_After about an hour or two, I was finally able to fall asleep. As I closed my eyes and drifted off into slumber, the page that I had seen from Nikki's diary started to read itself back to me._

Dear Diary,

Up until a year ago, my heart only knew pain. I put up a huge wall in order to protect it, locking it away so that it wouldn't get hurt again. When I arrived at the Castle That Never Was, Roxas was the first person to break through my wall. Not long after that wall went down, Axel managed to worm his way into my heart. Now he's stuck there, and he's growing inside of me like cancer. Too bad you can't use chemo to get rid of a person - or half a person…

After almost a year, it's too late to try to get rid of him. He's a part of me now. I can't imagine life without him. He is always there for me, even when I don't want him to be because I'm too stubborn to admit when he's right and I'm wrong.

It's ironic…

I locked my heart away so no one could ever hurt me again… only to have it end up being stolen right out from under me by a man who lost his own heart a long time ago.

I would never admit it, but… I think I might be in love with him…

…

- Present -

…

I still didn't tell Nikki what happened the night I brought her and Sandy home, and if I did tell her, I knew that she would beat the ever-loving crap out of me. There was no way that she would listen to me now, however, considering what's happened.

I doubt her friend Sandy thought very highly of me right now, and I can't say I blame her. She must feel a lot of blame herself because she encouraged Nikki to confess her feelings to me, and she must think that if she didn't push her friend so hard that she wouldn't feel the way she does.

Being Nikki's best friend, Sandy must have picked up on a lot of things when she saw us together. Even a couple of her younger siblings picked up on it.

…

- FLASHBACK -

…

"_You sure have a lot of guy friends." Said Sandy's nine-year-old brother, Ty. "So which one's your boyfriend?"_

_Nikki's face turned red._

"_None of them! They're my friends, okay!" She exclaimed heatedly._

"_It's the tall one, isn't it?" He asked, pointing to me._

_Nikki narrowed her eyes at the nine-year-old. "Don't you have ants to drown, or something?"_

"_I knew it! It _is_ the tall one!"_

"_Shut up, Ty!"_

"_Nikki and Axel sitting in a tree~. K-I-S-S-I-N-G~~.." Ty teased in a sing-song voice._

"_That's it! You are so _dead_!"_

_Nikki lunged forward, attempting to grab Ty by his collar, but he jumped back just in time. _

"_When I'm done with you, you'll wish you were never born!"_

…

- END FLASHBACK -

…

Even before people started pointing it out, I always knew that she had feelings for me. Like I said when I first met her, she's a terrible liar. I can always tell what kind of a liar someone is, and when I look at her it's like I'm looking through glass; that's how bad of a liar she is.

Now I knew for sure that she was in love with me; it was just a shame that I had to find out under these circumstances. What made it even worse was that I had to shoot her down in the harshest way possible or else Monique would find out about it and Nikki would get hurt. She didn't know it, but some of the jocks were watching from behind the building.

At least now I understood what she was trying to tell me yesterday..

…

- FLASHBACK -

…

"_Hey Axel.." Nikki said, once she was done throwing things at me._

"_Yeah?"_

"_There's something that I want to tell you." She said with a serious expression._

"_Shoot."_

_She sat there for a minute, avoiding eye contact by looking down at the floor. I could tell she was nervous, because she kept twiddling her fingers (something that she always does when she's nervous), and she couldn't stand still. I could also see that there was a faint tint of pink on her face, and she was doing a horrible job of holding it back, and an even worse job of hiding it from me._

"_I-I…" She stammered, taking a deep breath before continuing in a more confident voice, "I lo-"_

_She was cut off when the teacher came into the room and said, "Okay, you two. Your time is up. Let's see how you did."_

_The teacher walked around the room, starting with the chalkboard. He ran his fingers over the surface to check for any dust, then moved on to the desks. Traveling around the room, he checked each desk discriminately, even checking underneath them for gum. After the inspection, he walked back over to us with a pleased visage._

"_The desks haven't been this clean since the school first bought 'em. Good job." He congratulated, patting us both on the shoulder. "You can leave now. See you tomorrow - and don't forget your homework."_

"_Yes sir."_

_And with that, the teacher left, and we weren't far behind. We picked up our things and left the building as quickly as possible. We both had homework to do, and I had chores to do on top of that._

"_So, Nikki.. What were you trying to tell me?" I asked, when we reached the front gate._

_Nikki was about to answer when a portal appeared, Momo's head poking out of said portal._

"_Oh! There's Momo. Sorry, Axel. I have to go. I'll tell you tomorrow, okay? See ya."_

_She said most of that so quickly, that I could barely understand it. Before I could respond, she walked into the portal and two seconds later it was gone._

_What the hell was she trying to say to me?_

…

- END FLASHBACK -

…

I'll admit it. I was a jerk to her at first.

I was a little jealous because she spent a lot of time with Roxas. I deserved it when she punched me in the face for every sexist joke I ever made, and every time I ever pissed her off.

Like she did with everybody else, she grew on me. We realized how alike we were, and it brought us closer together. Soon we became best friends. But as time went on, I realized that I was attracted to her, and, to an extent, I knew how attracted she was to me. Of course, she was too stubborn to admit it, and I didn't blame her considering her past. She was a stubborn person anyway, but when it came to boys she wasn't very trusting, except in the case of younger boys; she treats Roxas like a younger brother, and smothers him with hugs every chance she gets… the lucky little bastard…

…

- FLASHBACK -

…

_I held the charm by its chain, the star-shaped item swinging back and forth in front of my face. It was then that I noticed that Nikki had drawn a little smiley-face in the center of the star, similar to the one that Kairi drew on the charm she made for Sora. I was sure that she did that with everybody's. The smiley-face looked familiar; red hair, green eyes, and upside-down teardrop markings under said eyes. It was a cutesy little version of my face, in case you couldn't guess._

_The Paopu Fruit was the symbol of an unbreakable connection, and carrying charms shaped like it would keep you and your friends together no matter how far apart you are. At first I thought it was just a bunch of soft-hearted, sentimental bullshit, but that was before I had friends… before I met Nikki.._

_A few years ago, I wouldn't stick my neck out for _anybody_. Everything was all about me. I put my own agenda first, and everyone else had to pick a number and wait in line. My only goal was to be immortal by living in the memories of everyone I met. Now I have a best friend and a would-be girlfriend that I would gladly sacrifice myself for._

_Yeah, I'll admit it. I was an ass when I first met her. But she sort of grew on me, you know? The same way she grew on everyone in the Organization._

_Nikki and I are alike. We both lost something very important to us, leaving us broken… incomplete. But we found a way to live with it. Her sense of humor is similar to mine, and we often played pranks on the other Organization members together. Even when we were being punished by Xemnas, we would spend our entire "punishment" laughing our asses off at whatever we did. There were times when she came up with schemes that were just as devious as mine, if not worse._

_She's my kind of girl._

_Listen to me. I'm getting all soft._

_But I can't help it._

_I love her._

…

- END FLASHBACK -

…

I still had the charm she made me, but I had to keep it hidden or Monique would destroy it. I could make a decoy, and carry that around in my pocket while the real one was safe and sound in my room. Nikki probably worked her hands raw to make those charms, and I couldn't risk all her hard work getting ruined. Tomorrow, I will go collect shells that match the ones on my charm, and use them to create a convincing decoy.

I went into Nikki's room, and was met by her attention-starved kitten. I picked her up and pet her as she settled in my arms and purred. Taking a look around, I noticed the empty frame of the mirror that used to sit on the dresser; we hadn't replaced it yet, and it's been sitting there since the night that Nikki punched it during the whole 'memory loss' thing. Some drawers were open and missing clothes from when she packed to go over to Sandy's, and a few other things were gone. A lot of things were still there, like her favorite beanie babies from her collection, framed photos of family and friends (she had five there but one was missing), and most of the books on her bookshelf (except her favorite book, which I recalled her having read over twenty times).

Sitting down on her bed, I laid down and Hazel settled down on my chest as she continued to purr. I noticed how the sheets on the bed still held Nikki's scent, which was like vanilla.

Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.

…

…


	50. Preparations

**Banshee: Hello everybody. Only one chapter to go! Don't forget to vote in the poll. Seriously, don't forget. This poll will decide what song will play during the prom scene. I have an official end date: August 20, which is basically a week from today. The poll is located on the top of my profile page. Please vote, this is really important. I can't post the final chapter until a song is chosen.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Kingdom Hearts; Square Enix does. I only own my OCs and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Nine: Preparations

* * *

Recap:

"_Will you be able to go to school tomorrow?" Sandy asked._

_I cringed._

_I knew that I had to go back to school. Finals were coming up, and if I missed those then it was an automatic failure and I would have to repeat my junior year. On top of that, prom night was closing in, and I didn't want to be humiliated again by seeing my worst enemy attending the prom with the guy I loved. The prom may not be as important as school itself, or finals, but it was pretty important; if there was one dance in high school that you did not want to miss, it was the prom. It was Junior/Senior, and we could invite underclassmen and students from other schools._

"_I guess.. As long as I stay way from certain people," 'certain people' being Axel and Monique, "then I should be fine."_

"_That's good." She said._

_I finished up my ice cream, and Sandy took the bowl away and walked out of the room to put it in the sink._

_I closed the album and set it aside, and laid on my stomach on the futon, folding my arms on my pillow and resting my head on them. I sighed heavily, thinking about what I was going to do. Was I going to spend the rest of my life avoiding the situation, or was I going to face it? If I avoided it, I'd be giving Monique the satisfaction of knowing that she won. If I faced it, then I would feel at least a little bit better and I could hold my head high._

_With the kind of person I am, I would rather hold my head high than let it hang down in defeat. Damn it, my grandpa (on my father's side) is a war veteran! He never took anything lying down like a dog, and neither will I. I am going to confront them, and I'm going to feel good about myself afterwards._

_I groaned; if only it were that easy…_

…

…

It's been a week since _that_ day.

So far, school has been absolute hell. I tried to avoid a certain redhead and blonde, but they were everywhere I went. It was like Monique was trying to hurt me even more by making sure that I saw them together as much as possible. It's also hard to avoid someone when you sit next to them at every class.

Prom night was coming ever closer, and I was still on the fence about whether or not I actually wanted to go. A part of me did want to go because my friends were going, and I didn't want to disappoint them. At the same time, a part of me didn't want to go because my worst enemy was going with the guy that I loved.

If my friend Maggie found out, she wouldn't be too happy. According to her latest text message, she had finished our prom dresses, and one thing she hated more than a bad design day was having an outfit go to waste. She is a fashion designer in training, so she designed all of our dresses. She is part of our extremely tight-knit friendship circle, so we let her design at her discretion because she knew who we were and what we liked.

"Hey girl~!"

I was caught off guard when I saw my black-as-hell, pink-loving best friend standing in the doorway with several dresses slung over her shoulder as she used her free hand to wave. Placing the dresses on the futon, she hugged Sandy enthusiastically and then ran over to me and gave me a hug as well.

Maggie is thin, but she was strong and intimidating when she was angry. She is aggressive, tenacious, and a go-getter, which made her perfect for pursuing a career in the fashion industry. Along with her mother, she designs clothes at a local clothing store. She's the token black friend of the group, like my friends Cassie and Harriet are the token bookworm friend and the token Gothic friend, respectively. The only thing darker than her skin was her hair, which was pitch black. Her eyes are the same color as her skin, which is dark brown. Her hair is long and styled in waves, and she always keeps it in a high ponytail to keep it out of the way as she worked.

"How are two of my favorite girlfriends doing today?" She asked enthusiastically. "I got our dresses for this year's prom~. Wanna see 'em?"

"Oh God yes!" Sandy exclaimed.

"Sure." I said.

"Okay," Maggie said as she reached for the first dress bag on the pile. "This one is mine. You know me, I'm a little more showy, so I designed a short dress."

She took the dress out of the bag, and my eyes nearly exploded from all the pink. It was strapless and made out of pink satin, with small rows of ruffles from the waist until the dress ended at mid-thigh. The top was embellished with white stones.

"It's so cute!" Sandy squealed.

"So much pink…" I muttered to myself.

"Next up is Harry's," Said Maggie as she reached for the next dress. 'Harry' is my friend Harriet's nickname, just so you know. "Since she's Gothic, I went for something a little lacy, and trust me, lace is not easy to work with. I had to redo the design three times before I got the results I was looking for."

The corset of the dress was decorated with lace, and black fabric cascaded from the waist down to the floor. Lace made up the sleeves, and spider-web patterns were sewn into the sleeves and were also sewn into the black skirt using white thread. The sleeves ended in gloves, with black sashes connecting them to the back of the dress.

"This next one is Cassie's. She's modest and shy, so I went for something a little more conservative."

Green was Cassie's favorite color, so that was the color of her dress. It was a long dress that went all the way down to the floor, and the top was a halter that completely covered her chest; because she's a shy girl that didn't like showing herself off. There were no sleeves. The top layer of the skirt was made of a type of fishnet fabric that was tinted gold, which covered the second layer that was green.

"Sandy, this one is yours."

Like Maggie's, Sandy's dress was short, but it flared out more at the hips. It was strapless, and bouncy frills cascaded from the hips down to where the dress ended at the knees. The bottom of the dress was not form-fitting, and flowed freely from the body. It was fiery red, with gold trim on the top, and around the edges of the frills.

"And Nikki, this one is yours."

The dress was a one-shoulder, and wavy ribbons colored different shades of blue cascaded from said shoulder down to the hips. A sash was tied around the waist, and more fabric, the same colors as the ribbons, fell from beneath the sash in layers, flowing like waves over the blue base of the dress. The colors were soft, like pastels.

"Ooh~." Said Sandy. "They're all so pretty.. I can't decide which one I like better!"

"You guys are goin' to the prom, right?" Maggie asked.

"Hell yeah!"

"Um…"

"I don't like the sound of that 'um.'" Maggie addressed me. "You're not skipping out on prom, are you?"

"I can't go." I said.

"Why not?"

"Well, it's like this…"

…

- A Few Minutes Later -

…

"So you're in love with this Axel guy, but your worst enemy stole him from you and they're both going to the prom, and that's why you don't want to go because you don't want to see them together?"

"Precisely." I said.

"No, no, no, _no_! This will _not_ do!" She pouted. "I made you a fabulous dress, and it is not going to waste! You're goin' to that prom, and as soon as he sees you he'll ditch that bitch and come _running_ back. You mark my words. He won't be able to resist you once he sees you in one of _my _dresses, girl."

"I don't know…"

"Come on, Nikki." Sandy urged. "If you don't go, you'll be letting Monique know that she won. Show her you won't go down without a fight! For God's sake, your grandpa is a war veteran!"

"Sandy's right, sugar. Don't let her beat you. Put up a fight! Win!"

"I guess you guys have a point.." I said, putting my hand on my chin thoughtfully. They had a point. Not going to the prom would prove that I was weak and that Monique won. Well I'm not weak. "You know what? You're right. I'm going to that prom!"

"Yeah girl~!"

"That's the spirit!"

…

…

**Banshee: Sorry it's so short. *sweat drop* This chapter was more of an introduction and a pep-talk more than anything else; mostly the intro. The last chapter will be longer. That, and I'm kind of going through a Harry Potter splurge right now.. *sweat* Why did it have to end? TT_TT Well, at any rate, I'll post the next chapter as soon as I can, and don't forget the poll. Love you all~! Ja ne~!**


	51. Prom Night

**Banshee: Here it is~! The final chapter! I hope you enjoyed reading this story as I did writing it. As of now, the poll is CLOSED! The winner is... "Life Is Like A Boat" by Rie Fu! *applause* Don't worry, I still have some more KH fics in the works, and I can't wait to post them.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, or any Final Fantasy characters that were mentioned. They are owned by Square Enix. I also do not own the song "Life Is Like A Boat," it belongs to Rie Fu. I only own my OCs and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter Fifty: Prom Night

* * *

Recap:

"_So you're in love with this Axel guy, but your worst enemy stole him from you and they're both going to the prom, and that's why you don't want to go because you don't want to see them together?"_

"_Precisely." I said._

"_No, no, no, _no_! This will _not_ do!" She pouted. "I made you a fabulous dress, and it is not going to waste! You're goin' to that prom, and as soon as he sees you he'll ditch that bitch and come _running_ back. You mark my words. He won't be able to resist you once he sees you in one of _my_ dresses, girl."_

"_I don't know…"_

"_Come on, Nikki." Sandy urged. "If you don't go, you'll be letting Monique know that she won. Show her you won't go down without a fight! For God's sake, your grandpa is a war veteran!"_

"_Sandy's right, sugar. Don't let her beat you. Put up a fight! Win!"_

"_I guess you guys have a point.." I said, putting my hand on my chin thoughtfully. They had a point. Not going to the prom would prove that I was weak and that Monique won. Well I'm not weak. "You know what? You're right. I'm going to that prom!"_

…

…

Prom Night was tonight.

I reunited with all my old friends (all four of them) so we could pick out shoes and accessories, and get our hair styled.

Maggie took us to a shoe store that had all kinds of styles. Her mother let her borrow her credit card, so we were free to splurge; as long as it was for prom.

"Remember, proper accessories are _crucial_ to any outfit." Maggie gave us a brief pointer before we began. "You don't want to be to flashy because then the outfit is just plain gaudy, but you don't want to be too subtle."

"Maggie, this is a high school prom, not a fashion show." Harriet reminded her.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just get so excited. It is our first prom, after all.."

Harriet rolled her eyes, Sandy giggled, Cassie said nothing, and I just walked off to look for a pair of shoes to go with my dress.

I was checking out a pair of white heeled shoes when I heard a voice say mockingly from behind me, "Well, well, well. If it isn't little Nikki."

I groaned in exasperation. "I'm not in the mood for your crap today, Monique."

"I heard about the day you confessed your feelings to Axel. He rejected you, and you cried like a pathetic little bitch. It was _hysterical_." She said coldly, and I flinched. "And I hear you're going to the prom this year. A waste of time, if you ask me. What kind of _loser_ goes to the prom without a date? Oh, that's right. _You_."

Harriet, who heard the whole thing, stalked over and put herself between me and Monique.

"Keep talking, and you'll know how it feels to chew on your own teeth." Harriet's voice was calm, but it held a harsh and threatening undertone as she tightened her leather gloves, which had steel caps over the knuckles. One punch from them and Monique _would_ be chewing on her own teeth. "Then we'll see who's crying like a 'pathetic little bitch.'"

"Ooh, I'm so scared of the freaky Goth chick.." Monique squealed annoyingly, feigning fear. "Not."

"You should be."

"She ain't playin,' Blondie." Maggie interjected. "She'll smack the Covergirl off your face if you don't back off."

She stood beside me, and she was soon joined by Sandy and Cassie. Outnumbered five to one, and not wanting to catch the attention of the security guards, Monique decided to be smart and left.

"That's right, bitch, keep walkin.'" Maggie called after her, waving her hand at the blonde in a "Shoo, go away" gesture.

"Don't let her get to you, Nikki." Sandy assured. "It won't be a waste of time. We're going to have fun."

"Thanks, you guys." I said gratefully. "But, for the record, I could have handled her myself."

…

- Later -

…

The prom would be held in the school gym.

The whole afternoon was spent getting dressed and having our hair done.

As much as I wanted to be, I wasn't excited. I was anxious, but it was because of fear. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to handle seeing Axel with my worst enemy. It hurt bad enough to hear about it, but actually seeing it both hurt me and made me feel sick to my stomach all at once.

Riku offered to escort me tonight, but I just couldn't do it. He seemed to understand after I explained everything to him. Besides, he also seemed to hit it off pretty well with Sandy after he met her. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was like love at first sight. I wouldn't admit it, but I was a little jealous.

…

- Prom -

- Axel's POV -

…

I pulled on my tie uncomfortably as I sat next to my date, who was scantily clad in a short dress covered in bedazzles and glitter, sparkling shoes, and glitter sprinkled in her wavy blonde hair. She, and the rest of her flock thought it was hot while I thought she looked like one of those stupid sparkling vampires from _Twilight_. The only thing missing was her fangs.

…

_Nobody knows who I really am_

_I never felt this empty before_

…

They made a bet on whether or not Nikki or her 'loser friends' would show up, and I had to bite down on the inside of my mouth to keep me from saying something stupid.

The doors opened and I had to fight to keep my jaw from dropping.

…

_And if I ever need someone to come along_

_Who's gonna comfort me, and keep me strong?_

…

There was Nikki, in a cascading blue and white dress that went almost all the way down to the floor. Her hair was styled in luscious waves, and her makeup was light so she didn't look like a whore like most of the other girls. Every time she moved, her hair and dress swayed gracefully, like the waves of the ocean.

She was like a siren, luring me in with her 'I'm-an-innocent-angel' look, and I would gladly let her sink her fangs into my flesh as she dragged me back to her undersea lair.

Wow. That was pretty deep.

Heh heh. 'Deep…' like the sea. Get it?

…

_We are all rowing a boat of fate_

_The waves keep on comin' and we can't escape_

_But if we ever get lost on our way_

_The waves would guide you through another day_

…

"What the hell are _you_ gawking at?" Monique demanded.

"I was just… noticing how ugly that dress is.." I lied.

"You can say that again.." She agreed. She grimaced as she looked back at Nikki's dress. "Ugh.. It looks like the ocean threw up on her."

"_And it looks like a prostitute threw up on _you_."_ I growled in my mind.

…

- Nikki's POV-

…

"Hey, Nikki.." Sandy nudged me. "He's watching you.."

I would have looked, but she told me not to because the cheerleaders were looking at me too; and they were probably insulting my dress, even though it was ten times better than theirs; at least I didn't look like a five dollar trick… wait, make that two dollars.

Even though I wasn't looking, I could feel his eyes on me.

…

_Tooku de iki o shiteru_

_(Far away, I'm breathing) _

_.._

_Toumei ni natta mitai_

_(As if I were transparent)_

…

After a couple minutes, I couldn't take it anymore.

"I have a few choice words for you, you backstabbing bastard." I growled as I approached the table.

"Excuse me. This table is reserved for people with taste." Monique said rudely.

"Shut up." I snapped, making her shrink back. "While I'm talking to him, you keep your mouth shut or I'll rip it off. And that goes for the rest of you too. Got it?" When they didn't respond, I repeated my previous inquiry with more force. "_Got it_?"

They flinched at the sight of my glare, and nodded feverishly.

I turned to him.

"How could you do this to me?" I demanded, trying not to cry, lest I ruin my makeup. "I trusted you. I gave you my _heart_, which is something that I've _never_ done before, with _any_ other guy. You weren't just a crush; you were somebody I _loved_."

…

_Kurayami ni omoeta kedo_

_(It would seem I was in the dark)_

_.._

_Mekakushi sareteta dake_

_(But I was only blindfolded)_

…

"I thought you were different… but you're not. You're just like the others. You want to lure me in by being nice to me, then you break my heart. Well you know what? I'm done. I'm done with getting my heart broken; I'm done with the lies; and I'm done with people promising to be there for me and then leave me hanging when I really need them."

…

_Inori o sasagete _

_(I give a prayer)_

_.._

_Atarashii hi o matsu _

_(As I wait for the new day)_

…

I saw a flicker of emotion in his eyes, but I ignored it. "You wouldn't understand what it's like to feel abandoned because you're a heartless bastard who only looks out for himself, and throws everyone else to the sharks. Now _you're_ the one swimming in dangerous waters, and you have no one to blame but yourself. I hope you're happy with the choices you've made."

…

- Axel's POV -

…

As much as she tried to hide it, I could see the pain in her eyes as she yelled at me.

When she was finished, she turned to walk away, and it was now or never.

If I didn't make a move now, it was all over. Without thinking, I jumped out of my chair and grabbed her by the arm.

"Nikki, wait."

"Let me go, Axel.." She growled, trying to yank her arm out of my grip.

"No." I said. "I'm not letting go; not this time."

"Axel! Get back here!" Monique ordered. When I didn't move, she repeated her order, "Get back here _now_, or somebody's going to get hurt."

"Somebody's going to get hurt?" Nikki asked with a raised eyebrow. "Axel, what's she talking about?"

"Go over to your friends, and wait for me. There's something I need to take care of."

She would have objected, but after taking one look in my eyes, she knew I was serious. She nodded, and I let her arm go, and she went over to her friends. When she was gone, I turned to the blonde with a scathing glare.

"I'm done with this. In fact, I should have told you to go to Hell a long time ago."

…

_Azayaka ni hikaru umi _

_(Shining vividly)_

_.._

_Sono hate made_

_(Up to the edge of that sea)_

…

"You are a vain, selfish, and despicable person, and one day that darkness in your heart will destroy you. One day, you'll be bitter and alone, and you'll have no one to blame but yourself."

"You're on a short leash, buddy!" She yelled. She took out her phone and opened it, positioning her finger to press a button. "All I have to do is make one phone call, and-"

"Go ahead." I said. "I don't care what you do. You can do whatever you want to me, and I guarantee it won't do you a bit of good. But if you hurt Nikki, or even make an attempt to hurt her, or my friends, I'll make you _burn_. _Got it memorized_?"

I snatched her phone from her, and it caught fire in my hand. Monique and her troupe stared in horror as the phone melted, the metal and plastic dripping onto the floor. I crushed what was left and walked away, not even bothering to hear her response.

…

- Nikki's POV -

…

I was sitting alone at the table as my friends were dancing. Sandy and Riku were first, and they were competing with each other for who would lead in the dance. Demyx asked Maggie to dance, and she accepted, commenting on how she loved 'nervous white boys…' and musicians; the fact that he was both sealed the deal for her. Cassie danced with the other dateless girls, and Harriet and Zexion disappeared sometime after the dancing started and I had no idea where they were now. Sora, Kairi, Roxas and Naminé were on the dance floor too, and the girls soon found out that both boys had two left feet, which, in Sora's case, was no surprise.

Just as I was about to grab my purse and leave, I felt a hand grasp my shoulder. I looked behind me and saw Axel, who held his hand out to me.

…

_Nobody knows who I really am_

_Maybe they just don't give a damn_

…

"May I have this dance?" He asked.

After looking between his face and his hand, I decided to bite. "Only if you promise not to grab my ass."

He smiled. "I can't make any promises."

Knowing that was the best I could get out of him, I shrugged. "Eh. Close enough."

I let go of my purse as he led me onto the dance floor, and he put one hand on my waist as he grasped my hand with the other, and I put a hand on his shoulder.

…

_But if I ever need someone to come along_

_I know you would follow me, and keep me strong_

…

"What did Monique mean earlier when she said 'somebody will get hurt?'" I asked.

He hesitated before answering. "Monique blackmailed me."

"She blackmailed you…" I said with a raised eyebrow. "You, a Nobody assassin with the power over fire, were blackmailed by a human teenager whose only skill is a few flimsy flips and dance moves?"

".. Yeah…" He admitted. "She told me that you would get hurt if I didn't do what she said."

"At least that explains why you've been acting like an asshole."

…

_Hito no kokoro wa utsuriyuku_

_(People's hearts change)_

_.._

_Mukedashitaku naru_

_(And sneak away from them)_

_.._

_Tsuki wa mata atarashii shuuki de_

_(The moon in its new cycle)_

_.._

_Fune o tsureteku_

_(Leads the boats again)_

…

"So… everything you said…"

"It wasn't true." He said.

"Even when you insulted Roxas, and…" I hesitated. "rejected me..?"

"Nope. It was an act. All of it."

"Must have been a pretty painful act."

He cringed at the thought. "You have no idea."

"About everything I said…"

Axel stopped me by putting a finger to my lips.

"Don't." He said. "None of that matters now."

"None of it? Even when I called you a heartless bastard?"

"None of it; though I kind of deserved that one.."

"Yeah, you kinda did." I said, and we shared a laugh.

…

_And every time I see your face, the oceans heave up to my heart_

_You make me wanna strain at the oars_

_and soon I can see the shore_

…

"I may be a Nobody, and I may not have real emotions, but I still remember how it feels. I _used_ to be a 'heartless bastard who only looks out for himself, and throws everyone else to the sharks.' I'm still like that, to a degree, but I've become a little less selfish after a certain little runt and a fiery little brunette came into my life."

He paused.

"There was something about you two.. Suddenly, all my emotions didn't feel fake anymore; they felt real, like I actually had a heart."

"What are you trying to say?" I asked.

"What I'm trying to say, is… I love you."

…

_Oh, I can see the shore_

_When will I see the shore?_

…

I already knew that he had feelings for me; even if his emotions weren't technically real, but hearing him saw it out loud suddenly made my heart flutter.

"You really mean that?"

"With every fiber of my being, I mean it. Now, isn't there something you want to tell me?" He asked coyly as I looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" When he gave me a look, I said, "Oh! Right… Sorry. Hearing your little confession threw me off a little bit.."

"I…" I stuttered. "I love you.."

He took a hold of my chin and tilted my head up so I was looking at him. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to say that…"

"Don't get used to it, because that took a lot out of me." I muttered dryly.

"I'll bet."

Then he leaned forward…

And he kissed me.

…

_I want you to know who I really am_

_I never thought I'd feel this way towards you_

_And if you ever need someone to come along_

_I will follow you, and keep you strong_

…

I wrapped my arms around his neck as he buried his hands in my hair, and we pulled each other closer. I could smell his Axe body spray; I didn't know exactly what scent it was, all I knew was that it was spicy, which was fitting for him. The scent wasn't strong, but it was still enough to lure me into a daze.

He pulled back for a few seconds to catch some air.

"You smell like vanilla.." He said. Then he added, "It's sexy.." and kissed me again.

His lips were soft and warm, and my face heated up as soon as they touched mine.

If it were a few weeks ago, I would be embarrassed, but now, I didn't give a damn who saw it.

"Get a room, will ya?"

We pulled apart, and we saw all of the boys we knew huddled together, with Demyx holding his digital camera as the others made googly eyes and kissing noises.

"Oh, shut the hell up!" I yelled.

Tidus and Wakka ran away singing, "Axel and Nikki, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G…" as Roxas, Riku and Sora snickered amongst themselves, and Demyx ran to show the picture he had taken to the girls, proclaiming, "They finally did it!"

"Remind me to kill them later.." Axel growled.

I laughed and pulled him back for another kiss.

…

_Tabi wa mada tsuzuiteku_

_(And still the journey continues)_

_.._

_Odayaka na hi mo_

_(On quiet days as well)_

_.._

_Tsuki wa mata atarashii shuuki de_

_(On quiet days as well)_

_.._

_Fune o terashi dasu_

_(Shines on the boats again)_

…

- Axel's POV -

...

"So, a little birdie told me that you two finally kissed.." Sandy said. "Is it true?"

She squealed when Nikki and I blushed.

"It's like something out of a fairy tale~!" She mused. "True love conquers evil, and the two lovers share a kiss in the moonlight… well, technically stage lights in this case, but you get the picture."

"You and your chick flicks.." Nikki sighed, shaking her head.

By this point, Harriet and Zexion returned from wherever they went. Their outfits were slightly disheveled, Harry's lipstick was smudged, and we had a clue as to why when we looked at the schemer's face, which had black smudges all over it.

"Guess Axel and Nikki weren't the only ones getting into it~…" Sandy said teasingly, as Zexion used his sleeve to wipe the black lipstick off his face.

"You will tell no one.." Harriet said threateningly.

Zexion just coughed, and looked the other way to try and look innocent.

…

_Inori o sasagete _

_(I give a prayer)_

_.._

_Atarashii hi o matsu _

_(As I wait for the new day)_

_.._

_Azayaka ni hikaru umi _

_(Shining vividly)_

_.._

_Sono hate made_

_(Up to the edge of that sea)_

…

"Did everybody get kissed but me?" Demyx pouted.

"Sorry sugar, but I don't kiss on the first date…" Maggie said. "Maybe next time."

The nocturne sulked.

"'Next time,' meaning 'this Saturday?'"

He perked up. "Really?"

She winked at him, and he jumped up in the air, yelling "Woo-hoo~! I got a date!" and performing a fist pump.

…

_And every time I see your face, the oceans heave up to my heart_

_You make me wanna strain at the oars,_

_and soon I can see the shore_

…

"So…" I said. "Does this mean that I'm your boyfriend now?"

"That's exactly what it means." She said.

"Oh!" I suddenly remembered something. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a little black box. "Um… There's something I've… been meaning to give you…"

She opened the box, and there was a pendant shaped like a heart nestled inside.

"It's beautiful." She gasped.

"I got one of those sweetheart necklaces." I said as she picked up a chain, taking one half of the heart with it. "They're two halves, and together they form one whole heart."

"Aw, Axel, that's so sweet." She put the pendant around her neck, right next to her locket. "And to think that I used to think you were a complete and utter jackass."

"Thanks…" I said. "I think…"

…

_Unmei no fune o kogi_

_(We are rowing the boat of fate)_

_.._

_Nami wa tsugi kara tsugi e to watashitachi o osou kedo_

_(But the waves keep attacking us)_

…

"Oh, and there's one more thing I need to tell you…" I scratched the back of my head. "I _may_ have read your diary; completely by accident, of course…"

Her smile cracked as soon as she heard the words 'I,' 'read,' and 'your diary.' An anger vein pulsed on her forehead, and her - previously serene - blue eyes were sporting a malicious gleam. Her eyebrow twitched in anger as she looked at me, and I suddenly felt like a guppy being cornered by a shark.

If looks could kill, I would have dropped dead by now…

…

_Sore mo suteki na tabi ne?_

_(But isn't that still a wonderful journey?)_

…

"You did _**WHAT**_?"

I was suddenly running for my life as she chased after me, having taken off her heels and swinging them around furiously as she screamed "I'm going to f-ing _kill_ you!" and "Get back here, you son-of-a bitch!" over and over again.

I just _had_ to kill the moment…

As the love of my life chased me with the intent to kill, I couldn't help but think that maybe, just _maybe_, I should have just kept my _big_ mouth _shut_…

…

_Dore mo suteki na tabi ne?_

_(Aren't any of them a wonderful journey?)_

…

~ Fin ~

…


End file.
